Serendipity Clause
by TheBlueAmethyst
Summary: Life as an Attendant was a string of endless battles, both inside and outside of the kitchen, mentally and physically. It was a challenge Mika took to like fish to water. But with a career path built upon history wrought with strife and tragedy, protecting family will be a road filled with hard decisions, centuries-old conspiracies, and ghosts of the past. [Fix-it, fluff, politics]
1. As Always

**FOREWORD:**

Hello, and thank you for deciding to read **Serendipity Clause**.

To start of, this is an **AU** attempting to integrate aspects of game-play with the overarching plot and the game's lore. Originally, the idea was exploring repercussions for summoning a 'rogue FS' (such as Boston Lobster, Spaghetti, Whiskey, etc) and the absolute mayhem and backlash that would cause for the MA's daily life. I've decided to slightly tweak and expand on that, although I'll mostly focus on only one key character. You can guess who.

In terms of canon, I'm starting with the baseline of the original up to the Nevras Arc, tweaking the timeline for the sake of internal consistency and creative liberties in terms of certain areas for world-building. This includes the Master Attendant, who'll be completely diverting from their game origins. The differences between this and original Food Fantasy will be gradually shown throughout the fic, and I've taken great care as to hopefully make this an enjoyable and worthwhile experience.

Feel free to criticize and give feedback, I'd love to hear what you guys think!

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 **[4/16/2020]:** Light edits and cleanup.

 **[3/24/2020]:** Edited the first three chapters and added new lines of dialogue and bits of history for better flow and narrative depth. Changed the summary to better reflect the story.

 **[12/22/2018]:** Original release date!

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 **DISCLAIMER:** Food Fantasy is the intellectual property of Elex Funtoy Games. I am merely borrowing their media for entertainment purposes, and I claim ownership of nothing but any non-canon characters that may appear later on.

 **WARNING:** This story contains crude language/humor, depictions of violence, gore, disturbing imagery, discussions on trauma, grief and mental health, angst, character death, and other sensitive topics. Reader discretion is advised.

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 **Chapter 1**

 **As Always**

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"An Attendant is an agent of the kingdom, and must abide to the kingdom. We however, remain first and foremost the frontier in the fight for humanity's survival, and will prioritize so above all else. We only ask in return for the continued support of the kingdom and its people."

\- Reinhardt Lockheed, in an interview with the Glorian Press (6/20/514)

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In Mika's profession, one must always be accustomed to the teeth-clenching feeling of being relentlessly dragged around by many things, yet be ready for more.

For one common case: being dead on her feet and out of bed on such a wonderful morning with protesting muscles, and the headache the size of the Midgar's towers. Joy.

With a stiff shake of her head, Mika blinked the foggy remains out of her eyes. She had about ten minutes before she needed to go out to the Market District, and maybe grab some cheesecakes while she's at it, the sweets shop down a few blocks was having a special promo for today. It depended on whether or not the line was long though, since she had to head over to the Guild HQ before noon.

Basket of carrots in hand, she stepped into the kitchen where the staff hurriedly finished prepping for the breakfast rush. She dumped the ingredients down the nearby station and banged her boot against a nearby trash bin.

All eyes turned to her, activity halting hesitantly. Mika glared and the staff members straightened in unison. Knives, spatulas and ladles were loose in their grasp, and luckily the gas hadn't been turned on.

"I don't like repeating myself. As of late, I've seen how the marketing team has been doing an excellent job in spreading our name, especially with the upcoming traffic of the festival. On the other hand..." Nervous glances were exchanged. After a terse few seconds, a grin broke through. "It's our turn to live up to the hype. Let's give our guests a great, satisfying time, you hear me?"

The staff raised their hands and gave a loud battle cry. "Hear, hear!"

Pots and skillets clanged, and with a hearty laugh, she turned to approach the nearest staff member, namely a grinning Pancake. He had one hand stuck in a pouch hanging on his red sash, and the other carrying a plate of sandwiches. His long black hair appeared a lot more untamed than usual, and he'd foregone the sleeveless shirt under his open black kimono, exposing his torso.

Mika raised an eyebrow. "Our customers may get the wrong idea."

Pancake grinned even wider, a childlike twinkle in his eyes. "And we ain't open for business yet, Boss. Here ya go!"

The plate was thrust into her arms, nearly knocking against her leather breastplate. She fought the urge to snort, shoveling a sandwich into her mouth instead. "… Pweffy guwd."

"Be worried if it wasn't," he chuckled. "Anyhow, ya hafta go soon, right?"

Mika swallowed, licking off the mayonnaise on her lip before placing a hand on his shoulder. "Pretty much, so as usual, keep the place up and running for me Mr. Supervisor."

Pancake nodded vigorously, and as the sounds faded behind her, she sighed under her scarf. Some medicine later would be nice, as bitter they could be. She double-checked her gear by the door. Her weapons were stashed under her brown fur hooded coat, and the belt pouches containing her supplies were full. Good, nothing seemed to be missing.

Nodding to herself, she tied her chocolate brown hair back into a high ponytail and stepped out of the restaurant.

The sun rose slowly, highlighting the dark windows of the tall white brick homes and shops along the cobblestone road and the red hues of the spiral roofs, shadows fading as even the lampposts dimmed. The ever-present faint smell of salt and presence of the early morning busybodies breathed life into this small corner of the city.

"Master Attendant," a soft voice called out.

Icy blue eyes stared down at her. Foie Gras stood there in her flattering top, layered skirt, stockings, and blue slippers that made more than a few heads turn their way. The soft blues and whites complimented her platinum blonde hair, pinned back in an up-do and finished with a ruby-encrusted tiara. The most eye-catching thing about her was the faintly glowing scepter in her hands.

Mika smiled as she tugged her coat closer. Her skirt and thigh-high fishnet stockings weren't doing wonders for the early morning chill. "Shall we go then?"

Foie simply nodded, and they moseyed on down the street. She waved to each one of her neighbors, stopping to chat every so often while her Food Soul drifted in the sidelines. If they ignored the less-than-friendly stares from other shop-goers and locals from the neighboring districts, there were bigger priorities.

Yes, she'd love to stop by and bake cookies together. Oh and sure, she could teach some brats a thing or two, next week sounded alright. Huh? No, no, it's not a problem! Oh, heya Gramps—gah! Please, have mercy! The meeting was set for tomorrow, wasn't it?!

By the time they arrived at the Market District, the sun roasted everybody's scalp, and the plaza was filling up with people from every Street. Children splashed about in the grandiose fountain where a group of larger than life-size golden statues stood despite a few protests from their mothers or the unfortunately doused passerby. The shade the figures provided and the glittering jets of water flying about in the pool was a tempting sight, but Mika forced herself to march on.

The clock tower rung past eleven, and Mika briefly glanced towards her companion before racing towards the shop— _Confectionery Yours—_ and frowning. The line spanned halfway down Joray Street and didn't seem to stop growing, despite the number of people leaving the shop with their purchases.

"Guess I'll just see if the cafeteria has something good to tide me over. Maybe I can see if there's anything interesting." It was food for thought, heh. "Come on Foie."

They continued their walk down the other Streets of the Market District, stopping by each stall. Mika noted down the retail prices of the ingredients, internally wincing at a couple of them.

They'd need to do a couple of sweeps this week since their vegetables were running low. Good thing meat and dairy products were at a stable place at the moment, they could swing by the ranch in a few days and maybe get a discount, provided she didn't get saddled with a last-minute job. Seafood and every other import product from Nevras had climbed up, and it looked like they weren't going to stop any time soon. Shipments were going to be their best bet for any fruits and cooking wine.

"Flour's gone up again? It just went down two weeks ago, didn't it?" Mika questioned the shopkeeper.

"Yes miss." The man raised his clipboard and flipped a page. "Most wheat-based products have gone up between a hundred to two hundred gold. It was a sudden drop in merchandise, hit most of the stores here. Warehouses had just gotten our fill from the last batch, but it's nevertheless concerning."

Constants in the market were hard to estimate, but prices were generally either lowered or increased by a hundred gold at least, depending on the damage and profit involved. Even after nearly four years since the war, the kingdom was still trying to get their feet back on the ground despite its showing of a solid front. The costs of decades-old battle were still weighing on them all. For normal citizens, it was troublesome, if only somewhat alleviated by the different businesses of the Guilds and the Attendants.

Mika lowered her basket. Come to think of it: "Have the Fallen attacked the fields again?"

The shopkeeper scratched his beard. "Likely, miss. There's been a lot of trouble in Light Kingdom too, so there's been talk that import tax may go up. It's been a real headache for most of the Trader's Guild, been a lot of rerouting going on."

"Trouble?" she parroted. She had a sinking feeling of what it was.

"Now I'm not entirely sure about it, but there have been rumors of Attendants and their companions disappearing or turning up dead the past couple of months." He leaned forward and briefly stared at Foie Gras, who had been silently perusing the frozen aisle a few steps away. "Now I don't mean to alarm you miss. Most claim its Fallen Angels, but there are some who believe it could either be bandits or a rogue Food Soul who caused it."

Mika's jaw clenched. "… What about the official statement?"

He shook his head. "Nothing yet, but I have a feeling that if the rumors continue to blow up, they'll address it soon enough."

"Noted," she muttered tiredly. "… Thanks Gerard."

Gerard gave her a small, apologetic smile. "It's the least I could do."

They soon left the shop, a bag of flour and milk purchased as courtesy tucked into her pouch. Something caught her eye however, and she halted in front of a sign board down the intersection and a familiar notice. It depicted of a crowd of people with weapons raised against a sinister-looking Food Soul atop bodies of Fallen Angels and humans alike, and the bold calligraphy was simply icing on the cake.

 **REMOVE THE FOOD SOUL SCOURGE!**

She didn't bother to read the rest.

Mika tore the sign down even when a few glances were thrown her way, and fought the urge to shred it, shoving it into her pocket instead. A futile effort, since there were more plastered around the city, and she spotted a few handing out leaflets like it was some sort of brochure for a new resort.

Something inside her gut twisted, and she took a few deep breaths. It wouldn't do any good to punch anyone.

She did get it, she really did. The rumors and stories did not paint some Food Souls in a good light.

With Fallen Angels coming in endless waves and hammering at their borders, worrying about rogue Food Souls was honestly something she couldn't blame people for. They were the front-line defenders, and if the ones capable of inhuman feats turned on them?

Uncertainty led to fear, and fear to irrationality.

"Are you okay, Attendant?" Foie hovered beside her, face unusually blank.

Mika relaxed her fists. "… Just a little heated is all."

Foie's gaze lowered, and her lips pursed for a moment. "It's… a fate most unfavorable."

"If I were to compare this to the ruined lands beyond Karen Forest, the amount of toxicity would pale," she said under her breath. "Kowtowing to demands like these would end miserably for everyone involved."

Foie shook her head before patting her on the shoulder, and Mika let out an audible sigh. There wasn't really much she could do about it other than protecting her wards as best she could. To tackle an issue that'd been present for centuries would be stumbling across mountains upon mountains, and that wasn't counting the other things they were presently attempting to unearth. They were already toeing the line.

The cool aura that caressed her cheeks let her muscles loosen. "… Thank you."

No other words were exchanged as they briskly walked past several other streets into the heart of Hilena, where the looming structure of the Royal Chef's Guild lay nestled between the city walls and a watchtower.

Banners adorned the sides of the three-story building, standing out from the newly-painted white walls of the first floor and bringing color to the remaining wooden upper half. Pots of various herbs and plants stacked across the balconies, lending the scent of spice to the air, and vines crawled along the roof. Mika momentarily took a breath before pushing the ornate front doors to reveal a large lobby with overhanging lanterns, the warm orange and the wooden furnishings bathing the lounge in a homely glow. Crates and boxes were stacked in the corner next to the mission desk, and a few barrels were being transported from the hallway towards the pantry.

There were a few other Attendants who glanced at her entrance from between their idle chatter at the rest-and-go station, and Mika waved at them.

"Good afternoon~!" she chirped.

The nearest one to her, a pig-tailed girl in a white collared shirt and brown skirt under a cream-colored apron, smiled. Her wide, lilac eyes lit up, standing out from the midnight black of her hair. "Hello Mika, Miss Foie."

Mika beamed. "It's good to see you Lila. Where's your ever trusty bodyguard?"

"Oh, he's back at the bakery, I told him to rest before seeking out Miso Soup."

Mika cocked an eyebrow. "Huh, that's surprising. Given his disposition, I always thought he'd never leave your side."

"And you're loud as always," a muffled voice chimed in from his face-down position on the table. His spiky brown hair and simple grey chef's uniform were more rumpled than usual.

"Shush, Rayleigh." Mika's gaze swept over the hall. "Anyways, where's Olivia? I don't see Nico, Hana or Yun either."

"Olivia's at Parisel to check in for shipments, she said she'd be back by tomorrow. Nico and Hana are either in the kitchens or in the training rooms again." Lila fiddled with her mug's handle. "As for Yun… he called in for a leave. He has to prepare for his brother's funeral."

Mika grimaced. She'd forgotten about that in the face of their expedition, and Yun had been absent from the guild for two weeks now. "I see. What about you guys?"

Lila seemed thankful for the quick change of subject and raised her drink, the smell of cocoa tickling her nose. "I'm on a short break."

"Trying to catch sleep," Rayleigh grumbled. He peeked through his folded arms, one dark brown eye conveying his deadpan expression. "And you?"

Mika pulled at her gloves, staring at nowhere in particular. "Hunting for lunch while I wait for another lovely interview," then she pouted. "That's the third time this month."

Rayleigh snorted. "That's a bad thing?"

"You know what I mean." Mika sighed through her nose. "It'll likely be a rehash of the previous interrogation. I'm going to get stuck here all afternoon, but as annoying as it is, gotta follow protocol."

Judging by the reduced frequency of summons unlike the first month, they'd finally decided they'd squeezed out enough information regarding the syringe from them. Not that there was much to contribute, apart from building curiosity. It did good that Grandmaster Lockheed also stepped in to help smooth out any problems that the head researchers of the Academy and even the church posed.

Not that they'd stopped checking in just yet.

Ichi's gonna be pissed about being held back from traveling to Nevras, and between the house arrest and the questioning, he'd probably try to sneak out again and train. It wasn't her fault though. If they didn't want to get caught as they conducted their own investigations, they had to lay low.

She was aware of the sharp look Rayleigh gave her, but thankfully he didn't say anything, opting to mutter something she vaguely swore sounded like "Troublemaker."

Who, her? P-shaw!

Lila poked her back to reality. "You should go to the cafeteria then. I left some strawberry tarts there."

"You are an absolute godsend, you know that?" Mika ruffled the girl's hair, earning a squawk. "I'm seriously gonna be jealous of who'll marry you in the future."

Lila nearly knocked her drink over as she sputtered, cheeks a flaming red. "M-Mika!"

"Yes, my dear?"

Rayleigh clicked his tongue. "Can't you just go and eat?"

"Aw, you do care." Mika smiled sweetly at him.

"You—tsk, how do you deal with this woman?" Rayleigh instead asked Foie, who seemed to consider the question.

"You're just too lazy to deal with my awesomeness," Mika interjected. "Now before you corrupt my lady, I'll go fetch the treat of the goddess. Peace out!"

She scooted away with a wink, the muttered "Unbelievable" making her hide a laugh, and she tugged Foie along. Then Mika hastily backtracked and shot her co-worker at the mission desk a worried look. "I do still have time right?"

The tall, willowy woman with flowing wavy red hair paused in sifting through a bundle of waivers, gazing at her wryly. "You have about twenty minutes before the delegate arrives, I believe."

"Thanks Klara!"

Multiple hallways after, she and Foie entered the cafeteria, which was more of an exhibition with multiple counters and display cases to present any new dishes Attendants whipped up for competition purposes, and a few high tables covered in velvety cloth. Much to her delight, a group of unfamiliar faces wearing the red and gold uniforms of Hilena Academy were huddled in front of a case filled with Lila's signature pastries. Good tastes, though that lovely steaming roast chicken was a close second. Undoubtedly Rayleigh's, since those bacon tofu wraps next to it also had his precise and clean plating style all over it.

Mika shared a look with Foie before she pranced over behind the awestruck teenagers, none of them turning to look despite her loud footsteps. "Take a photo, it'll last longer."

The identical horrified expressions and one girly ear-shattering scream nearly made her double over in laughter. "Whoa there, where's the Fallen?"

Screaming Boy's pale countenance colored. "O-o-oh, uh, sorry Miss Attendant, w-we were just looking."

"Oh, I know," Mika said. "You all looked like a pack of infected chappybaras waiting for the chance to strike."

A squeak escaped the girl at the back, and the oldest-looking blond male cleared his throat. Mika internally noted how they were at the same height, just shaving an inch or two without her heels. "We were merely admiring the work, if that's alright."

"Well, of course, that's the point. A dish's appearance should be a feast to the eyes all by itself. While they do say 'looks aren't everything', people tend to judge things first by observing." Mika craned her head to the side, taking in the fairly young yet openly curious faces before her. "But I assume you didn't come here for a lecture."

Blondie shrugged. "We were curious. School doesn't exactly outline what being a Cooking Attendant is all about."

Mika hummed. "Figures, the bare basics are all they give out nowadays."

It's a shame, but the curriculum of Hilena Academy primarily focused more on general knowledge than anything so it opened more avenues to explore, rather than following the specialized system of Nevras. When she asked why, Olivia told her that since their job was a niche of its own, it fell on them to seek out potential Attendants like she'd done for Mika. It made sense, but it would be nice if they could advertise the Guild better.

The stout, fidgeting redhead girl peered from behind Screaming Boy. "U-uhm, excuse me?"

"Yes?" She raised an eyebrow.

The girl's luscious curls bounced as she twitched, hands clutching her pleated skirt. "U-u-uh, well, I was just wondering if t-that's your Food Soul..?"

"She," Mika corrected. "But yes, Foie Gras is one of my Food Souls."

She didn't have to turn to know Foie nodded in their direction, especially with the return of their slack-jawed gazes.

Screaming Boy blinked a couple of times, and comically reeled back as if he'd been slapped by a fish. "Wait, you said 'one of my'… how many Food Souls do you have?"

Oh, ho? He actually caught that. "Fourteen."

"Fourteen?" the group echoed in shock.

Fifteen, if she counted Rice, although with her it was more of a guardianship than an actual contract. While not uncommon, a summoner with over a dozen Souls was bound to attract scrutiny. It was unfortunate she couldn't go over fifteen, the ruling would not allow it, except for those granted special permission by the royal family or the Guild Council.

The last member of their group, a lanky male with a beautiful shade of deep purple hair, stared at her with knitted brows. "How long have you been an Attendant, ma'am?"

"Hmm, about four months, give or take?" Mika nearly smirked at their bugged-out eyes. "I'm hoping I can summon someone new tomorrow. Gathering embers and crystals can be quite the pain in the economy we have right now."

"You seriously want another one?" Purple Pretty Boy questioned.

The underlying tone in his voice made her straighten, and Mika gave him a lazy-eyed smile. "Why wouldn't I? Food Souls are pivotal in our fight against Fallen Angels. Without them, we'd all be overrun."

"The Nevras researchers have been working on other weapons to fight them though," Blondie pointed out. "With their innovations and findings on the relics from the Elven Era, Cooking Attendants would probably go out of fashion. No offense."

"Oh, none taken." An outright lie, but these brats didn't need to know that. Mika fished out a paper from her pouch, red patterns and inscriptions encircling a red quartz crystal embedded in the middle. "However, a weapon like this wouldn't exist without prior research regarding the nature of Food Souls and how it ties in to our ancestral roots."

Purple Pretty Boy narrowed his eyes. "You mean the theories regarding the loss of humanity's magic."

He was quick, she'd give him that. "Yes, though I'm siding with the claims of limitations being imposed after the Great Reckoning five centuries ago. Whatever True Being Tierra came from was torn in its attempts to preserve balance after the Era War, and so the Root of All became distorted and thus ending the Age of Spirits."

"It could just be that affinities have been weakened with the destruction and weakening of ninety-percent of the ley lines led by the dark elves, and thus became exclusive to the denizens of Nevras," he countered.

Somehow, this conversation was making her nostalgic. Mika flipped the paper around with a crooked smile. "I'm not discounting that. The Elven kin were well known for close relations to the Gods, and whatever factions were left must undoubtedly working on its preservation."

"Their role in the matter is debatable." His eyes seemed to lighten up. "Since as you know, what few ley lines they had corroded over the years, leaving only the one in between the Observatory and the Lake of Ice Tears. Whatever lines are left became inaccessible in the weather conditions, small, or completely undiscovered."

"If you don't account for the magic crystal nodes and old ruins being discovered around the world, and the number of collaborative efforts done between the sister kingdoms, then yes." Mika looked out to the nearest window. "There's only scraps of a bygone era."

"So, surely it'd be more beneficial if further funding was poured into re-purposing Old Magic, right?"

"Indeed, which is what makes the existence of Food Souls quite the achievement." Purple Pretty Boy pursed his lips at her response. She should end this, or else they'd be talking in circles. "But whatever the case, there were a few things that became clear over time."

"T-t-that is..?" Curls asked.

"That is the crux of the question isn't it?" Her smile dropped, and she met each of their eyes. "Why do you think the Primordial diagram became the foundation of these talismans, or of the summoning ritual? How do you think they were able to engineer such potent crystals that became the backbone of new weapons, such as the automated siege weapons guarding us from the Fallen, or even minor ones protecting the cases before you?"

Mika didn't let any of them speak. The paper in her hand burst into bright orange flames, and the group jumped back with wide eyes. "Why do you think Attendants exist despite our dwindling numbers?"

At the redheaded girl's whimper, the paper crumbled to ashes between her fingers.

"Many people seem to forget that we're a product of what came before us. Humanity is but a blip in the records of history, but at the same time, there are things immortalized. If not immortalized, they are adapting to the ever-changing landscape." She breathed in deeply. "There are the memories, stories, and legends, even mere whispers, notes, diary or journal entries. These are the foundation of what makes up the wills of Souls, of their origins, of their initial creation by humankind when we were at our lowest. It is with that that we continue to live."

The silence was stifling. Despite that, the seeds were planted and at the mercy of time.

"Master Attendant…" Foie whispered. "We should go. The delegate has arrived."

Mika sighed out loud, earning her tense shoulders and wary looks. _Maybe I should have reduced the fire. I just hope it got across either way._ "Alright, I'll leave you kids here. Have a nice day."

She turned to leave, but a hoarse "Wait!" stopped her in her tracks. To her surprise, it was Screaming Boy who had stepped forward.

"Do you need something?" she questioned.

Screaming Boy swallowed hard, but there was a determined glint in his eyes. "What's your name?"

For a second, she stared at him blankly. Huh. She must be out of it more than she had thought. She tilted her head to the side, and the smile she presented had too much teeth in the mix, but whatever. "I'm Mika Ordelio, Elite-class Master Attendant, Guild Master of the Flavors of the World Branch of the Hilena Chef's Guild, and sleep-deprived human being."


	2. Count Your Blessings

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 **Chapte** **r 2**

 **Count Your Blessings**

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To ensure the confidentiality of the Soul System, an Attendant will remain contracted to fifteen Food Souls until given authority otherwise, or in service to the research department within their respective city. States of Calamity and Emergencies override this section.

\- Article One, Section Three of the Intercontinental Attendant Guild Laws.

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A sharp _twang_ and one last slide across the whetstone, the knife was placed on one of the finished piles, properly sorted by the dozen. Her hand edged to the pouch, only to grasp air.

With a hum, Mika grabbed the unassuming black case that lay by the partially covered windowsill, stashing her kitchen tools. She slipped the remaining two dozen throwing knives into bandoliers under her coat, a few strapped to her belt, and one tucked into each boot.

Mika stood and skirted around the worktable, heading towards the shelf in the corner. She retrieved the small circular empty bottles, newspapers, a basket and a box wrapped in cloth. She'd set the box down on the metal side table, and donned a thick pair of gloves. The crinkles of paper as she balled them up made her slowly relax in her seat.

It'd been a while since she sat contentedly like this. Things had more or less gone by in a blur in the wake of managing business affairs and the back and forth Guild obligations. Thank the lucky stars there were less missions on the board, lest she'd ruin the ceiling of the kitchens again.

Not to mention the looks Rayleigh had been giving her, the eavesdropping jerk. It was a good thing he'd been sidelined to attend an emergency meeting that lasted for two days.

After the next five, she rummaged her drawers for some tongs. Mika unraveled the package, the smell of chemicals permeating the air, and she burrowed her nose deeper into her scarf.

The contents of the vase inside were of a thin, alcohol-like consistency and the color of mud, speckled with white bubbles. Mika pried the moist plastic cover off, and with her tongs in hand, submerged the paper. Five seconds, and she quickly stuffed the wet paper into one of the bottles, closing it with a custom-made cork.

There was a knock on the door, and she gently lowered the homemade bomb into the basket. "What is it?"

"Are you done?" He sounded annoyed, and she raised an eyebrow, even if she couldn't be seen.

"Not yet, I'm still in the middle of restocking."

"Well, you better hurry. Everybody's already gathered in the summons room." She could practically hear the deadpan in his voice. "It's past noon."

Mika's cheeks reddened of their own accord. They'd been pushing the summoning date for the past few days, and today had been the deadline since she had to be off to do more work. "Oh. Let me clean this up first."

It didn't take more than minute for the room to be cleared, ventilator turned on, and she locked the door behind her. Ichi stood there in his usual work outfit: a grey turtleneck under the open cross-collared coat which trailed down to his knees, a black sash where a token and a red charm hung, and white pants tucked into boots.

"You stink," he ever-so-eloquently announced.

"Very apt thing to say to a lady," Mika drawled. "Shall we then?"

He rolled his grey eyes, and they meandered on. "Maybe if you'd let me come, then you wouldn't have so much trouble." Ichi's hand drifted down to the sword strapped to his waist.

Mika snorted at the distinct pout. "And I told you that you had to watch out for the restaurant today and keep an ear out in the market, remember?"

"Like I always do," he huffed.

"Don't be such a drama queen." They passed by her office and the stairs, where the audible sounds of chatter could be heard, and into the west wing. "Besides, Olivia did say you should take it easy after you went and sprained yourself while training."

"That stupid tree was in the way!"

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that buddy," she said. "I don't think it's all bad. I'm gonna be bouncing all over the place in a week with Irena to prepare for the upcoming event, so you being here works out fine. Maybe you can finally get headway on that packet Olivia assigned you. Don't give me that look. I'm still not helping you on that one, it's your test after all."

Ichi scowled at the reminder, but didn't say anything while she opened the door to the summons room. It was a small previously unused storage room, with a few empty shelves and chairs pushed to the side to make way for the machinery. The boxed-shaped faded gold structure with pipes which traveled up and out the building was partially covered under the white cloth.

More than a few heads turned their way, faces lighting up.

"Hello Master Attendant," her Food Souls called out in unison. Those who didn't simply nodded in their direction, the atmosphere continuing its genial tone.

The others were absent, but that was fine. Mika waved cheerily. "Heya, sorry I'm late."

She heard Ichi murmur _"_ More than late actually," but she chose to ignore it in favor of the hand latched on to her sleeve. A smile crept on her face, and Mika petted the young girl's soft wavy white hair. Rice's wide amber eyes and bright smile bore into her. Coupled with the cute kimono and the serving spoon in her arms, Mika fought down the impulse to squeeze the little Soul's rosy cheeks.

"Hello... Master Mika!"

"Hi," she muttered in a more subdued tone. "Sorry I couldn't check in earlier, I got sidetracked. Anyways, how's the kitchen?"

Rice bounced on the heels of her red slippers _._ Her eyes squinted slightly as she carefully enunciated: "Hawthorne is... handling everything... right now."

A quick glance at the wall clock told her they had about thirty minutes before dinner rush. "Alright, I'd rather we get back early today."

After one last nuzzle of Rice's hair, Mika padded over to the machine. She threw the cloth to the side.

The transparent circular door beholden a chamber which had space to fit at least four people, and to the back were slow rotating gears, the dim golden light highlighting each jutting point the shape of cooking utensils. In the center of the floor was the summoning diagram sketched in white chalk: a star contained by a square and three layered circles containing runes of the Olden Tongue, connected by another three set of circles which displayed the symbols all Attendants knew by heart.

The Primordial were key figures in Tierra's history after all, it was the pillars to their methodology.

The panel next to its door had four gauges sitting at minimal capacity, and a meter determining the amount of Soul Power being produced. Below was a simple slot where the Book of Contracts could be placed.

Although rather bulky and looked more like a giant microwave, this machine was one of the many products of centuries-long research into the development of Food Souls. At its core, it was a bastardized version of pure magic from the Elves Era and modern science that would've made them roll in their graves. One could not deny their efficiency however, for grand Soul Power draining rituals like what she was about to begin would not be possible without it.

"Do you think you'll summon someone new Master Attendant?" The one nearest to her, Tom Yum, asked. While a head shorter than her and wearing a rather dopey grin befitting his pubescent looks, the well-built physique emphasized by the wrappings around his torso and bulky arms meant he was capable of throwing her over his shoulders—on more than one occasion.

Mika let out a noncommittal noise. While it would've been much easier to attempt the direct method of using the specific recipe as a catalyst, she found this method much challenging and respectful. It could be a pain to commission more concentrated umami, coconut milk and Crystalline Flowers, but to her, it was worth it.

"We'll have to see if my luck holds up," she answered.

He'd slung his boxing gloves around his neck, grin still in full effect. "That's what I'm here for, right?"

Mika chuckled. "I guess so."

"Whoever comes to your calling, Master, we can only hope they are of the decent sort," another voice joined in. She turned to see Zongzi peering into the machine, eyebrows furrowed and mouth set in an uncharacteristic tight line.

"That's if someone does respond. Either way, I don't exactly mind," she murmured.

"It'd be neat if we have someone new to train with," Tom Yum pointed out. "Black Tea and Milk are also getting pretty aggressive when we have team-ups, so it'd be great to have a set of fresh eyes and skills."

"It would be helpful. Last I heard we were due for this month's rotation." Zongzi's finger rhythmically tapped the scabbard strapped to his hip, and a slight amount of Soul Power leaked into the air and tickled her skin. As if noticing her stare, he folded his arms, effectively hidden under his blue robes. "In any case, it's imperative that we must exercise cautious treading in unknown waters."

Mika couldn't refute such a statement. The process had always been complicated, and even with the newly released contract books, there was a chance of a messy feedback or worse.

Tom Yum tucked his arms behind his head, nose wrinkled. "Do you really have to be so poetic about it?"

"We'll have to see. Besides, I'm prepared." She gestured to her pouch, frowning at the mere thought of what she may have to do. Summoning strange or eccentric Food Souls weren't uncommon, but it was generally advised that everybody had a means to disengage from a potentially hostile one.

Zongzi placed a hand on her shoulder, and they traded hesitant smiles. "No matter, shall we start?"

She simply nodded and plucked the book from the folds of her coat. The crystals embedded on the thick leather cover were pulsating alongside her heartbeat, and once the Book was set, she shivered at the tingling sensation.

Shaking it off, Mika stepped towards her designated spot in the very center of the room. At her nod, Zongzi pulled the lever.

The construct rumbled, and a surge of energy vibrated from the three gauges before being absorbed into the glowing circle. Each Primordial symbol lit up, coalescing into a brilliant orange fireball within the circle itself. In contrast to its violent start, ancient lines of text formed along it, lighting up the hidden channels carved into the floor. A translucent replica of the circle appeared beneath her feet, emitting a low hum.

Heat engulfed her. It traveled down her sinuses and into her lungs, and no amount of gasping allowed her to breathe. Darkness and hazy colored blots floated in her vision, like drifting feathers amidst the skies so close yet so far to grasp. They came and went, a presence muted as if viewed from beyond foggy glass.

Despite this, her words resonated.

 _'Blessed I shall be by the Gods Elvira, Kilnorai, and Araga, embodiments of hope._

 _Balance untainted._

 _In dreams and desires, be steadfast in an unwavering resolve._

 _In body and mind, let discipline draw forth strength._

 _So shall the living continue to tread these lands, to venerate, evolve and reach exultation; and pay tribute to the lost._

 _Thus, by my will forged by the fires I command and the blade honed by natures' gifts, I call upon the engraved spirits of undying creations._

 _Our hands shall carve the path in this ever-changing world, this I swear to you, protection to Tierra and all under its domain._

 _Forever sanctified by our predecessors, we shall remain intertwined till the last ember flickers._

 _May peace be our resolution, and extinction our absolution._

 _If you accept this admission of truth, then come forth!'_

For each tentative approach that rippled against the silent backdrop, rebuffs became commonplace, and the burn gradually became a coldness that nipped at her. It was a reminder that she wasn't welcome here.

Wait.

There was a tug, a faint one edging towards her, but it was farther than the others—like an endless echo in a cave.

Who? Where were they?

Another blip, and the cold sunk its teeth into her skin even as her chest burned.

 _Are you there? Can you answer me?_ They didn't have enough time but—closer—!

Reality slammed into her, and she reeled back from the blinding lights. Two sets of hands gripped to steady her from behind, and Mika furiously blinked the spots away.

The light had fizzled out, returning the room to its dim state. A thick cloud of yellow smoke seeped from the cracks of the machinery as the last of the embers scattered from the pipes, its fine powder drifting down to the floorboards. The gauges displayed utter depletion, ending the collision of design, luck, and calculated probability. She hadn't the time to ponder the mystery while she shakily regained her bearings.

"Are you alright Attendant?"

"Mika, you okay?"

Mika sucked in a ragged breath, sparing Ichi and Zongzi thankful glances. "Y-Yeah… that was just a lot deeper than I thought I'd get."

There was a pause in the room as the smoke slowly dissipated, and the air was thick with expectation and uncertainty. The door popped open to reveal small glimmering shards in the shape of roughly cut squares resembling puzzle pieces. There was a collective sigh of disappointment, and Mika fought the urge to slump to the ground.

"W-well, better luck next time I suppose." Mika coughed. "Whose memory shards is it?"

"It seems to be the little missy's," the high-pitched voice of Crepe stated.

The short-haired girl in the frilly dress snapped her fan shut, and at Mika's look, she casually grabbed it off the chamber's floor and handed it to her. "As unfortunate as this one summon resulted in, you would do good to use the little missy's shards wisely."

Mika couldn't help but smile. "Of course, Crepe."

It would be costly in gold, but with the help of the Guild's research department, they could start what they'd coined a Shard Fusion for those Souls who weren't at maximum strength, thereby 'ascending' them until they reached the peak of their spiritual power. Memory shards carried old experience, echoes that led to more confidence and mastery in one's skills. It wasn't 100% accurate in its conversion rate, so they needed to stockpile enough shards for the next fusion.

Crepe swatted at her impatiently. "Enough dawdling, Attendant. I'll be returning to the kitchen."

"Go ahead. And keep an eye out for Macaron for me, she was assigned to the soup station this week."

Crepe turned her head back quickly, looking scandalized. "You put that girl where?!"

Mika held up a hand. Wow, she'd forgotten how loud Crepe could be, it wasn't helping her headache one bit. "She wanted to do something other than promotion of the restaurant. I'd discussed it with both Pancake and Pudding."

"You could've told me, Attendant," she hissed.

She spied Zongzi's disapproving glare and nudged at him.

Mika cleared her throat. "I didn't have the chance to, and we've both been busy. We've given her specific instructions on handling the stoves and had prepped some of the ingredients early. Besides, I trust she'll do fine if Hawthorne's there."

In a small bout of unexpected boldness, Rice stood between the two of them. "Rice... saw Macaron. She... is doing... okay with work."

Crepe narrowed her eyes, nose and lips crinkled in her effort to hold back a stream of protests. Despite her denials, it was obvious that she had a soft spot for the girl. "The little missy would like to have a few words with Attendant, but she shall let it slide this time."

"Of course, of course."

Crepe snubbed her on her way out, but threw her one last piercing stare and shut the door behind her.

Mika laughed softly. "Well then."

To her mild surprise, Milk spoke. "Sorry for her rudeness, Master Attendant. I'm afraid it's been a permanent fixture for her."

"No, it's fine. I should've expected that."

There was a small, nearly indistinct frown on Milk's face, but she nodded. "If you say so."

Knowing Milk however, she knew that she had other things in mind.

"She's really protective, huh?" Ichi mumbled, but he was close enough for her to catch.

"Don't let her hear you say that," she said lowly. "Unless you want a fan to the head."

"... She really doesn't want to acknowledge it."

"Obviously. And you two can let me go now." Mika relinquished her hold on Zongzi's arm, trying her best to ignore the sudden feeling of vertigo. "In any case, our summon schedule might take another few months to bear fruit, so for now, it's best we stick to gathering resources. That said, we should head out. We might make it to the edge of Harbor Beach by dusk if we're quick enough. Gather at the front of the restaurant in fifteen minutes."

There was a chorus of agreements, but they let out identical shouts of her name when she tripped, catching herself at the last second. Mika gave them a sheepish grin and shooed them off, adding in a wave of reassuring aura for good measure. They were clearly hesitant, but a reiteration of the time limit got them filing out of the room.

All except Ichi—who she caught exchanging a look with Zongzi—and Rice, who helped her sit.

"Do you really wanna go out today? You're looking really pale." Ichi laid a hand on her forehead. "You feel kind of warm too."

"The feedback just got to me, you remember how it went the first time. It'll pass." She grunted, smacking her lips distractedly. "I'll need to file a report about this to the R&D... need to fine tune the damn thing..."

"Never mind that, you're clearly feeling sick," Ichi argued. "I could substitute for you. It's just a two day trip back and forth."

"Says the one with the healing ankle," Mika retorted.

Ichi crossed his arms, eyeing her with furrowed brows. "I'm serious. I can just ask Milk to speed up the healing while you rest."

"Relying on magic to heal isn't exactly beneficial in the long run." Mika leaned back and draped a hand over her face. The world was still spinning. "I'll be fine in a few minutes."

"… Do you need some tea, Master? It... might help with the dizziness," Rice meekly suggested.

Tea sounded nice. The goosebumps on her body hadn't left yet. "Chamomile please..?"

"Oh, right away!" The door was thrown open, and the hurried footsteps faded.

If she was being honest with herself, the feedback was but a drop in the ocean compared to the lingering echo of emptiness the encounter left her. It didn't bother her as much as it did the first time they performed a summoning, it was an itch in the back of her mind compared to the outright slam that made her eyes roll to the back of her head. However, it didn't erase the other sensations like the distinct amount of flavors varying from Soul to Soul.

Their Soul Power was like a beacon in the dreamscape, she could almost taste it. It would be criminal to describe it in simple words, and it was hard to pin it down exactly. With time, a defined taste was sure to come, but now, it was like she'd burned her tongue—especially after today.

Perhaps they weren't ready yet. It wouldn't be the first time a Food Soul hesitated.

Mika let out a hoarse chuckle, cracking her neck and squinting at the new flood of light. "You know, sometimes I regret my life choices."

Ichi cocked an eyebrow at her. "Don't we all?"

She grinned. "Like tripping over tree branches?"

"Wha—for Sage's sake, it's like you're asking for pain."

"I love you too, partner."

.

Red and orange soon dyed the sky when they burst into the forest. Wind whipped across their faces as they raced along the branches, thick with the smell of salt and dirt in the air.

Mika held on for dear life as Tom Yum leapt above the tree-line with a cheer. The shores of Harbor Beach were visible, but she didn't have the privilege of enjoying the view, not that she could help it with the stinging of her eyes. While her hood helped, she regretted not bringing those new goggles she got from Gramps.

She could just imagine his smirk accompanied by the 'I-told-you-so' look.

They landed near a bush, and something prickled at the back of her head. "Dodge!"

"Wha—whoa!" was all she heard as they ducked low, and Mika gripped harder. "Sorry, we don't have time for you!"

Tom Yum jumped towards a tree just as the child-sized Rabbert with glowing red eyes swung its weapon at them. She heard the bark explode into splinters at Tom's feet, and they were launched up to the upmost layers of branches. A shot echoed behind them, and after a few seconds of tree-hopping and terse silence, Milk closed in.

"Are you two alright?"

Although Milk's expression remained unchanged, the emotions in her eyes spoke volumes. Tom Yum nodded stiffly, and she mutely let her eyes travel between both of them before moving back into formation.

It was then that Mika felt the vibrations around his neck, and her arms loosened. Her cheeks burned. "Sorry."

"No worries, that kind of surprised me too," he admitted.

Mika snorted. "For a moment there I thought they'd have to write 'death by carrot' on my tombstone. Wouldn't that be breaking news for the newspapers?"

Tom Yum, for his part, managed a soft chuckle as he maneuvered alongside the others towards their destination. Though the wind was loud, his words were clear: "Don't worry, Master. I'll protect you for as long as I breathe."

She nuzzled into his neck. The smell of sandalwood and apple cider vinegar tickled her nose. "… Of course you would, kid."

Mika was his Master Attendant, after all.

"Even if you weren't, I'd still come running." Gah, he heard.

"There are three behind us, engaging now!" Brownie thankfully announced, and a shot rung in her ears. Another group of stray Fallen, it seemed.

Zongzi momentarily stopped in his tracks, eyes roving over the group. "Miss Black Tea, move in to the rear."

There was a shift, and they resumed their jumps through the forest. Honestly, she wished she could just be running alongside them instead of basically being the load, but her stamina wasn't up to par. Not that it would help much, since any one of her Food Souls could go running around Gloriville without breaking much of a sweat if they wanted to. That and between the tree hopping and rushing through brambles and weeds, she'd be a mess by the time they arrived.

More shots to the right ensued, and Brownie eventually returned, assuming Black Tea's original position to the right. Smoking gun hefted behind him, he gave a curt nod. "Targets neutralized. I've sustained no injuries."

"Let's keep it that way," Mika announced.

The trend of shuffling formation whilst dealing with threats continued until one last leap that nearly made her choke on her own saliva, and they stopped on a rather wide clearing nestled between old trees. The sky was a faded orange and purple hue now, and the light was dying out.

Orders were given, and the tents were being set up by Zongzi. Black Tea and Milk were off to gather more wood, Tom Yum and Brownie some food, while Foie Gras was on first guard shift. Mika sat by the fire pit she managed to start, occasionally stirring the boiling pot of MRE-style tangy tomato and meat stew. While she preferred fresh ingredients to work with, the released rations provided by the Guild's R&D for this year were proving to be splendid creations.

Their pineapple fruit cake and cinnamon buns were to die for _._ Sure, they'd be leaving bricks in the toilet, but she digressed. The crackers and grape jelly still did the job, and it tasted fresh too.

Mika sipped at her instant coffee as she threw a dash of salt and pepper in the pot. The smell was lovely too, leaps and bounds from what a few peers had coined, 'an artificial, nauseating glob that really only served to remind you that home-cooked meals were the best,' or more specifically, 'an insult to wet cardboard, if you could even call it that.' She was lucky they reached the era where spices were naturally integrated into the packaging process, although she still had a pouch full of it.

"Master Attendant," Mika blinked at Foie's close proximity.

"Oh, would you like me to make you some coffee too, Foie?" She raised her travel mug, liquid sloshing lazily at the movement. "I find this a nice reprieve from a hectic day."

Foie's mouth quirked up in a small smile, an improvement! "I am fine. I just wanted to sit beside you."

Mika smiled. "Well, there's no need to ask. Come sit with me."

Foie gracefully sat on the log, an act that still both confounded and got her slightly pouting. She'd never really managed to perfect that. Ah, but anyways. "I still do wish we could just hurry on to the ranch, being out here isn't exactly a luxury. How many did we sweep through, around ten different groups of stray?"

"There were thirteen in total, averaging at four per group," Foie Gras answered.

Not that it was that surprising, since it was their obligation to clean up during trips to any ports, trading hubs, and farms. It had been mandated by the newly crowned eight king of Gloriville just after the uprising in Wang Li 233 to 235, in response to the general chaos that transpired over the alleged misuse of Food Souls and the unrest regarding Midgar's lock-down. The lock-down itself had been impressively thorough, and not a whit of information made through for its reason, although there were plenty of theories—the most prevalent being infighting between the Noble Houses and the royal family alongside their Food Souls. Ever since then, it'd been a topic among every citizen for generations.

"A walk by the beach would likely be disturbed by some trouble-making Bulimia. How unfortunate, the view's painting worthy right now." She threw some thyme, and nibbled on the last of her crackers. "On another note, how are you holding up?"

Foie tipped her head forward, the slight narrowing of her eyes the only signs she was heard. Another sip of her coffee, and she tugged her blanket closer. It was pretty cool in this area, especially since the seasons were shifting.

"I am fine." Her blue eyes were transfixed towards the fire. "Do you require warmth, Master Attendant?"

"And I thought I told you that 'Mika' is fine when it's just us?" She threw her a lopsided grin. "Zongzi's out of sight, though I can see he's almost done."

Foie gently set her scepter down to her lap. It was a delicate gesture. "… Master Mika."

She still hadn't let go of the title. Oh well. "I'm good Foie, the blanket and coffee's doing miracles. You're not bothering me."

Foie's shoulders relaxed a fraction.

"I've finished." True to Zongzi's word, the three tents were flawlessly up. Mika shot him a bright smile as he walked up to them and sat on one of the adjacent logs. "Anything else you'd like me to do, Attendant?"

"Not really," Mika said. "Want some coffee?"

"No need, water is fine. I shall tend to the fire instead."

Foie stood once more, facing the treeline with a thoughtful expression. "Then I will circle around."

Before Mika could ponder the odd look, her Food Soul flew away.

There wasn't really much she thought proper to discuss out in the wilderness, Zongzi seemed lost in his head, and the crackles of the kindling were lulling her into a meditative state. Mika sipped once more at her coffee. Stars and the two moons greeted them overhead, and Mika found herself subconsciously smiling at the sight. Disregarding the lurking dangers and the lack of everyday utilities, the night was nice.

In fact, it almost reminded her of old times.

"We're back," Milk's voice cut through the silence.

Black Tea hefted an armful of twigs and branches, and dropped them near the dimming fire pit. "That should suffice until the morning."

"Good work, you two." Mika drained her drink and moved closer to the boiling pot. It was ready, and she maneuvered it to the rickety folding table she still hadn't replaced. She unfortunately hadn't gotten around to it. Maybe she should pester Rayleigh about it, it'd distract him. "You saw nothing of note?"

"There were some wild berries we passed by, but since that was not our objective, I deigned it unnecessary to take any," Black Tea stood attentively. "Your container has been filled, boiled and cooling as per your instructions."

At that, she handed over the leather-skin water container, and Mika murmured her thanks. Really, she had to get Black Tea to tone it down a little.

"Apart from that, we quickly disposed of a group of Fallen."

"How big..?" Mika turned her gaze to Black Tea's ever-silent shadow.

Milk blinked, processing the question. "It was… another group of animal-turned-Fallen, about five or six of them. They seemed newly made, judging from their partial transformation."

Newly made? Considering that perhaps other Attendants had made their rounds, it wasn't far off that more animals were being affected as a result.

"We must keep an eye out then." Zongzi looked over at the forest, glancing at Foie's silhouette in the distance while he stoked the fire. "Perhaps it would be best if I take the third shift then."

"As much of a good idea that could be," Mika produced a stack of paper plates from her pack and distributed it to everyone. "Let's eat up first before any more planning. Hopefully—"

Bushes rustled, and everyone turned to the sight of Tom Yum carrying three flopping salmon. Twigs and leaves stuck out of his unruly-than-ever hair, and he bore a toothy grin. "We got some pretty huge fish, Attendant! The traders we accidentally came across earlier were really generous."

That was a pleasant surprise. The port at the edge of Harbor Beach usually received a lot of traffic, and being able to procure fish—and salmon too!—carefully cultivated at Nevras had to be difficult. It was a shame that Tierra's waters didn't have much to offer in the way of sea life, but considering the adverse effects the Fallens' miasma had on the wildlife, they should be grateful with what was salvaged.

Brownie stood behind him, immaculate and not a hair out of place, brushing a leaf away from their goods. "We're back Master Attendant. Apologies for the delay, there were a few issues."

The twitch of his brow almost made her snort. Mika instead kept half an ear out as she served a generous amount of stew to those with plates. "Did they get waylaid by the tide? They're quite a ways away from Hilena Port."

"No, they said one of those octopi Fallen attacked their boat and they had to make an emergency stop here." Tom shrugged. "Saw the damage, their ship has a lot of holes. It's amazing that they even managed to get to land."

"We've sent out an SOS so one of the Hilena Coast Guards will come by to pick them up, we've made sure they're secure," Brownie added. "They have hired mercenaries as well, so they will be fine."

Mika plopped a bigger serving on her plate and sashayed over to the rickety table. "Good, good. Did you clear out the area?"

Brownie's eyes sharpened. "We have, Attendant."

The upward curl of her lips came unbidden. If things went well, they would receive immense profit from the usual Fallen Angel exterminations, and ties to a potential supplier. "Great, but we better keep an eye out. Milk and Black Tea got beset by a few Fallen earlier, and I'm not chancing any unwelcome surprises. Is that clear?"

"Understood, Master Attendant," everyone replied.

With that out of the way, Mika gestured with her head, putting down her meal and rummaging through her backpack. Brownie rolled up his sleeves and took the salmon despite the Tom's protests. "Would you like me to clean it, Master? Shall I also fillet it?"

"Just place it on the table."

"You didn't have to grab it like that," Tom muttered under his breath.

Brownie spared him a brief glance, earning him a particularly bristled look. "You best be seated."

"Oh come on, I can help!"

"No."

Mika caught the smirk he hid under his hand, and shook her head at their antics.

Considering the size of the fish, they had quite the generous amount of portions. Sashimi for dinner didn't sound so bad, and the freshness of the seafood would be wonderful. Oh, maybe they could lightly sear it? She had a small bottle of olive oil in her pack.

"If you two are quite done then…" Mika put on some disposable gloves and brought out one of her knives. She placed a plastic chopping board on the table. "Go ahead and do one, I'll work on the other. Please go sit Tom, this will be quick."

No, he did not just pout. _I swear…_

The salmon was rather thick and the belly was firm, she suspected it had eggs. Its eyes were clear and the gills were pink. The scent of the sea was present, and rubbing the back of her knife against the scales affirmed that it was fresh. Those traders definitely set sail the moment inventory checked out. These would fetch a hefty price at the market and sell out within an hour's notice.

Assessment done, she lifted her fillet knife and ran the back of it on the fish, quickly removing the scales on both sides. She switched out with her scissors and snipped the gills and fins off, then without another thought, tugged at the head. Her fingers slipped through the opening and pinched the innards, and she removed it in one fast pull. Throwing that into the fire, she washed the blood off and remaining bits of guts with her reserve container.

Not done, she flipped the fish over and searched for the small hole, and after centering herself, swiped the fish in half. One more wash and a careful removal of the bones and eggs, and there were two large halves in front of her.

She did that with the other fish, though she had yet to cut them in half. She plucked any tiny bones left over with tweezers.

Mika glanced at Brownie, who had just finished working on his salmon. "Thanks! Now then..."

Ten blocks, about two pieces for each person. This she relayed to Brownie, who merely nodded and began cutting.

Mika discarded her gloves and washed her hands twice. The slime from the fish was hard to be rid of sometimes, and the smell lingered for hours if she didn't slather a generous amount of soap.

Content, she began to vigorously nibble on her stew. She moaned in delight at the complexities in the dish: from the soft and chewy ground beef to the potatoes that melted in her mouth, the acidity and slight sweetness of the tomato paste highlighting each bite. There was also the subtle taste of garlic and onions that had been fully incorporated into the sauce, and they harmonized with the thyme and rosemary she added.

It was only when a hand settled on her shoulder that she came back to reality.

Strangely enough, Brownie's cheeks seemed to be a shade darker. Maybe the shadows were playing tricks on her eyes. "Attendant, we should start searing. You've nearly finished your stew."

Blinking, she found that there were about three bites left.

She struggled not to pout.

.

They set out just as the first rays of light peeked from the horizon, pace slower than yesterday. It would only take them a few hours to reach the ranch, and there were lesser encounters of Fallen. Mika was thankful since she'd already lost a quarter of her supplies.

She needed to stop by the blacksmith and the R&D soon. Sure, she could produce her own crystals even if they're weaker, but that would take a while and her schedule's already a mess. Mika would also really rather not use the other archaic methods. _Hopefully I can convince Pudding._

"We're here, Attendant." Tom's voice startled her, and as soon as the words registered, she hopped off his back.

Orange and golden-tipped leaves danced in the crisp, gentle breeze down the path, and the field of tall grass eventually stopped at the foot of the fenced gate. The bold lettering on the sign hanging above their heads said:

 **.-..-._.-..-._.-.(=+=).-._.-..-._.-..-.**

 **WELCOME TO GOLD TREE RANCH**

Home of the Best Produce in Gloriville!

 **(** Operating since I.E. 349 **)**

 **.-..-._.-..-._.-.(=+=).-._.-..-._.-..-.**

It popped all the more against the mountain slightly obscured by fog in the distance. The tip of a lighthouse was barely visible from their position, and the forest at its feet was completely covered in white. From afar, inside of the taller fenced sections was a hollering woman riding a tamed chappybara, wrangling cattle into a farmhouse.

Pushing past the creaky gate, a chime rang from above. The barrier pulsed, and warmth coursed through her. The squat white brick house with foggy glass windows to their right hosted a bearded middle-aged man wearing a straw hat sitting on a stool by the door. He poured his attention into carving what appeared to be a wooden horse, wood shavings accumulated by his feet.

The man noticed them as they walked closer and grinned, pocketing his things. "Oh, so it's ya folks, eh? Haven't seen ya'll in a while!"

Mika giggled. "Yeah, it's nice to see you too, Vince."

Vince stood up to his full height, drawing attention to his muscled frame barely hidden by a frayed brown vest and gray tunic, and held his hand out. She grasped it tightly, and in return, received a nearly arm-crushing force. "If yer 'ere for some pork n' chicken then yer just in time! We're about to butcher some of 'em."

"Careful there, yer accent's bleeding outcha," Mika said.

He guffawed. "Guess it is. Forgive an ole fellow Southerner, will ya?"

To this, she smacked his arm, smirking. "Eh, I may consider it if you bring us in for a cup of coffee. Your wife would be aghast."

"What she doesn't know won't hurt." Vince let his gaze fall to her friends. "How's life treating ya lot?"

"I'd say we're pretty good." Tom grinned up at him, and formed a fist. Vince mirrored the gesture, only to snap his arm out and pull him forward, locking her poor Soul into a choke-hold.

"Yer too slow, chump," Vince drawled.

Tom yelped as an elbow dug into his scalp, but she could see the mischief in his eyes. In one quick movement, he broke free and effectively locked Vince's head between his legs with both arms being twisted behind. Sadly for him, Vince could carry his weight easily, and they proceeded to wrestle on the ground.

Brownie's disapproving sigh nearly made her chuckle, and she sensed that her other Souls were content to watch the chaos unfold. It was only after a few seconds of flipping each other and back-to-back banter that Vince released Tom, whose hair now resembled a bird's nest.

Vince dusted himself off. "Well, with that out of the way, let me hear about ya others!"

They exchanged pleasantries while he herded them into the house. It remained unchanged, with the living room near the unlit fireplace and various herbs stacked by the windowsill not unlike the Guild's. Paintings and family pictures adorned the walls, and colorful doodles peppered the bottom, a not-so-hidden box of crayons tucked under one of the floorboards.

Mika sunk into one of the sofas, and the others followed. She tugged off her coat with a contented sigh.

"So, I reckon ya'll need around a week or two's amount, dontcha?" Vince asked. "Ya Souls also need some for yerselves, wouldn't do ya any good to be walking around at low freshness values."

"While your worries are appreciated," Zongzi answered. "There's really no need. Master Attendant gives us exceptional meals."

Tom smiled in amusement, though it came out more crooked than usual as he wrestled his hair back into its less messy form. "Come to think of it, you and Brownie spend more time trying to make Master Attendant eat than she does to us."

Mika flushed, blubbering out half-hearted excuses. Her attempts to hide behind a pillow went ultimately useless when the chorus of laughter rang clear. Gods, it wasn't her fault time slipped by so fast when she was doing something!

Zongzi's chuckles soon mellowed down. "That, I shall not deny."

"Ya don't say? Hah, that's ironic, considering yer job, kid."

"I'm just busy, is all."

Their gazes penetrated even past her pillow shield. Dammit, okay, maybe she'd been a little too neglectful as of recent.

"Forgive me, but I personally feel that you tend to forget your personal well-being when devoting to work, Master Attendant." A hand patted at her arm, and she reluctantly peeked out. Brownie's gaze held nothing but sincerity. "As admirable your work ethics are, we'd like nothing but to see you in good health, as you do for ours."

At the sound of agreement next to her, she met Black Tea's softer look. "If you'd like, we can set a more concrete schedule to ensure you receive a proper nutritional diet."

"I can come by during your training with Miss Olivia," Milk suggested.

"If it helps, I can go with you when we're finished with team training." Tom paused, and his expression took on an anticipatory one. "I bet Miss Olivia's going to be happy about that, with Ichi out for another week or so."

Despite herself, she snorted. Olivia really would, that she-devil.

"That would work, and I'm sure Pudding has plenty of words to offer you." Zongzi tilted his head at her with an openly considering look. "And Attendant, just remember that we're here."

The flutter in her chest and the renewed surge of warmth from their shared connection nearly made her eyes water.

However, Mika found herself sweating at Vince's intense look. After a small dilemma over cheese bread and croissants, Vince disappeared into the kitchen.

.

Staying overnight at the ranch was an unplanned but wonderful opportunity, especially since the view of the mountain from her vantage point on the second floor of the guest building was unparalleled. Mika sneaked up to the roof as well, and the faint sounds of waves crashing against the cliff-side and the calls of a few animals in the farmhouse quickly lulled her to sleep. It was a different vibe from the constantly busy streets of Hilena, which would only quiet down once it was past one in the morning.

Speaking of the farmhouse, there was a few issues that occurred that had pushed back their orders. Their temperature control system had broken after a trainee mishandled it and it sent Vince into a mood. They all agreed to steer clear from it until the problem was resolved.

So when she awoke early the next morning and headed over to Vince's workshop, Mika didn't even blink at the spread of meat-based food being prepared. Stress cooking was a shared habit among most chefs.

"Morning, kid," Vince briefly nodded his head towards her as he dropped another piece of spring roll into the bubbling pot.

"Yo." She took a seat on one of the stools and stared at the half-finished bowl of salad, with the unpeeled cucumbers still on the chopping board. "Do you need help?"

Vince shook his head. "I won't take long. Feel free to take a bite though."

Mika poked one of the fried chicken breasts on the cooling rack. "Alright, don't be shocked if all you see is an empty plate."

"Har, har. Yer admirers won't be too happy 'bout that."

She let out a bark of laughter. "Oh, really? What a shame then."

He snorted in response, shooting her an amused look. "Yer a real piece of work kid, what would those poor Food Souls of yer think?"

"My Food Souls?" she echoed.

"Ya know, the puppies that follow you around, all eager to please." Vince pointed his ladle at her face. "And after that rousing feel-good moment ya'll had, I'd call you an atrocious mound of soggy noodles if you say otherwise."

She plucked a small piece of chicken off the plate, tempted to just whisk the whole thing away. "If this is about my eating habits, remember, I do still eat two to three times a day."

"Come on now, playing coy ain't your style," Vince teased.

"What brought this on?" she asked.

Vince winked at her, and coming from a man built like an ox, that was jarring. "Call it an old man's curiosity. Ya don't get much juicy gossip in these parts."

"You should've told me to buy a magazine from Parisel then," she said dryly. Mika took a big bite, and a loud crunch ensued. Damn, this was crispy. The rosemary, thyme, coriander and paprika combo, plus the tenderness of the meat was way too mouth-watering. Not to mention the mild spiciness.

It wasn't enough of a distraction, so she reluctantly answered: "… They really shouldn't be worrying about me. I can't afford to take too many breaks now."

"Yer hopeless, lass," Vince turned around, plate of piping hot spring rolls in hand.

"I'm only being realistic." She hummed, plucking a spring roll off of the plate. Oh, that's interesting; carrot, onions, a slight hint of garlic, cayenne pepper and spices, and ground beef. A variation of _lumpiang shanghai_ then. "There's a lot of half-done projects I need to get to, the R&D needs my report over the past two weeks, and I'm expecting the list from the festival committee to coordinate with the other restaurants. Not to mention the eventual monthly call to the buffer zone coming up soon, I don't really want another courtesy call from Lockheed."

Mika lowered her greasy hand, tipping over the chicken bone. The white tan line on her finger stood out, but not as much as before. "I'll be fine, I'm getting a bit more sleep these days."

"... If ya say so," he said, sensing a change of mood. He pushed a small plate of ketchup towards her. "Oh, and seriously, don't finish it all off. Some of us do need the sustenance, ey?"

She rolled her eyes. _Never change, Vince._ "In yer dreams, ya big lug, there's a whole banquet here!"

"Ya feast like a starving dog out of luck."

He easily dodged the piece of bone. Cheeky bastard.

It didn't take long before Vince finished cooking, and for the rest of the team to arrive. Lunch was a short and loud affair, and it was nearly afternoon when Vince told them their request had been pushed up the queue.

They didn't have to wait long, and they were brought to one of the many plain white buildings where they stored the goods. The butcher was very efficient in his craft, and the fresh cuts of pork, beef and chicken were carefully sealed into the many containers they had. Her liberal usage of prototype preservation tags aside, the knapsacks she distributed them into were given to her Food Souls to guard. Its lifespan was supposedly a week, but better safe than sorry.

Their group marched out, and bidding quick farewells to every worker they passed.

Just as they reached the front gate, Vince stopped them with a wry look. "Leaving so soon?"

Mika huffed. "Yeah, I'd rather not dilly-dally at the moment. I promised I'd be back by afternoon today at least."

Heading back was bound to take a little longer since they had goods to protect. While they had a travel cart for bulk orders, this approach was quicker and less likely to catch the eyes of any bandits or criminals whenever they took to the trees, barring the long stretches of open land. Borrowing horses for it also involved jumping through hoops and more paperwork than she could be bothered with, since mostly nobility and military had uncontested rights to them.

Plus, each Fallen killed equaled more gold in the bank, so there's that.

"Aight, be careful out there then."

.

Mika let out a low chuckle, crouched against the rock formation despite a few stabbing at her thighs. She fingered one of her weapons, eyeing the approaching enemies with a grin that promised nothing but pain.

Truly, Lady Luck liked to play.

* * *

 **AN:** Thank you for the favorites and follows! (And **Ameri Lie** – Buckle up and enjoy the ride!)

 **Q:** If you could actually marry one of the Food Souls, who would you pick? I'm stuck with either Cassata (because of his teasing nature, plus he's insightful and protective) or Pudding (he's responsible, much more organized than me, and mature). Both of them are also capable of getting my head straight if I'm stuck in a rut.


	3. Intersecting Pathways

.

 **Chapter 3**

 **Intersecting Pathways**

 **.**

 **_ . _**

 **.**

An Attendant must protect the kingdom from any and all threats. As follows, Fallen Angels from Type-H to Type-B must either be disposed of immediately, or brought to a designated research facility for further investigation. Confrontation with any Type-A and above will be in coordination with the military, see Section Twelve.

\- Article Two, Section Five of the Intercontinental Attendant Guild Laws.

 **.**

 **_ . _**

 ** _._**

They'd been traveling for nearly thirty minutes, fighting off the standard Fallen Angels unfortunate enough to cross their path. While there was a monotonous vibe to the motions, their silent exchanges brought an awareness waiting to be fully triggered.

The first thing she noted was the scent of gunpowder.

One arm snaked behind her coat while she tapped Tom Yum's arm. The only reaction she received was a sigh through his nose, and they moved past leading Zongzi, who simply nodded. As soon as they landed near a wide stretch of a dirt road, Tom sharply moved to the right, a bullet embedding itself into the dirt a few feet away. They whirled around in place just as a large figure emerged from behind a tree.

The rugged man with dirty brown hair up in a topknot tilted his head at them. He wore a passable quality of linen armor, which looked worn from use. He waved his hand airily, a small, genuine-looking smile on his face. "Good day to you."

Mika removed herself from Tom's back, her own customer service smile in place. "Hello. What a surprise, we weren't expecting to see anyone out here."

"Yeah, same here, we've mostly been hassled by a bunch of Fallen." The man paused, seemingly shocked after registering the other's presences. "Oh! It's you two."

"Heya, I thought you guys were still with those traders?" Tom's tone was casual, but his muscles were tense.

"Unfortunately, there were some… disagreements, and we went our separate ways. Heard that Gold Tree Ranch was not too far from here, and not only that," he sniffed. "We did want to see the people that helped us out."

Trying to scope out 'easy' marks? She had to give it to them, their small group hadn't offered the image of strength. Tom could fool anybody with his easygoing attitude, and Brownie was a rather unassuming slim young man, albeit with a gun his height. To be honest, everybody appeared more suited to be at a cosplay convention than high-risk battles.

"That was quite the welcome then." Brownie walked up next to her, and slowly, her heartbeats steadied.

 _There's movement all around. One, two… five… seven… ten… twelve… a smaller group than I expected._

The rugged man chuckled. "It got your attention, didn't it?"

"Indeed it did," Brownie said.

The group was surrounded by a dozen of men revealing themselves, all in the same general outfit and varying expressions of wariness. Their swords seemed of mediocre-quality, but chances of hidden weapons were high. There were less at east, the one who likely shot at them was partially hidden five feet away from their leader, and another two with bows on either side.

Her eyes narrowed. Nearly every one of them had such gaunt and sunken complexions. _So that's why._

As if reading her thoughts, the man flashed them a lopsided grin. "I suspect you all know what we want then?"

"Hmm, depends?" She watched her Food Souls slightly move from the corner of her eye. A small trickle of warmth pooled in her chest. "We could just walk away without anything escalating in the process. I could just write a note for you to take down to the Ranch. I'm certain they'd be more than willing to take you guys in."

He put a hand on his waist, and she found herself mimicking the move. Just one quick pull…

"Pretty generous offer, but I'm afraid we'll pass." His pinched expression stated otherwise, but she said nothing. There were no guarantees after all, not after the blatant act. "We just want your supplies and gold is all."

Mika hummed. "Are you sure?"

The man pursed his lips for a moment, mind racing. The confidence was throwing him off, and Mika could tell that he wanted to consider it. His hand loosened around his weapon, expression conflicted.

There was a sharp tug on her coat, and an arrow whistled past where her head used to be. A split-second of horror flashed on the rugged man's face, before being replaced by pained determination when her knife grazed past his shoulder. He dove out of sight, yelling orders just as several cries, gunshots and explosions rang out.

Tom soared as he yanked her up to the trees, and helped her onto a branch before jumping back into the fray.

"Incapacitate only!" she yelled out, amplifying it through each connection. No need for any casualties today.

The mercenaries fought wildly at the grim realization that they were vastly outclassed, a whirlwind of swings and potshots that would deter most men. It was a shame that their opponents were not like most. The ruthless efficiency of her Food Souls gave no time to breathe, an impressive show of precise movements and of covering each other's backs as if they had a lifetime of experience. More than half had already fallen, bruised and beaten unconscious, clearly unnerving the rest of the mercenaries.

It was unfair, but the tides were on their side to begin with. _Unless Lady Luck sees her whimsical nature afoot, but it best not come to play._

The group of five backed towards a tree, and her Food Souls awaited her orders. She coiled her own power around them, and they relaxed by a miniscule. Mika easily dropped down from her perch, the team lining up at her side.

"You are free to surrender," Mika declared. "There is no need for any more unnecessary bloodshed."

She caught the heated gaze of the leader, wedged between two identical-looking younger men—not even men yet. He clutched his bleeding arm, and with a hoarse chuckle, he spat: "Well, you've made your point."

Mika fiddled with her scarf, and a knife slid down her into her waiting hand. "As this transgression was made in desperation, we are willing to negotiate terms if you come with us peacefully. We can return to Gold Tree Ranch and discuss it after we get your men some proper nutrition."

One of the twins goggled at her, and she internally winced at the old scar which dragged horizontally from his forehead down to his lower lip. He didn't look to be much older than fifteen. "You're w-what?"

"I said we're willing to compromise." Somehow, the words only made the remains of the mercenary group stare at her as if she'd sprouted another head. A strange sense of déjà vu ensued, but she ignored it. "Unless you still want to fight, in which I'm afraid we'll have to take the rest to the Hilena Coast Guards."

The leader's face was shadowed with the now loose strands of brown hair, but his jaw was clenched. The remaining men mumbled among themselves, before the leader stepped out with his chin raised and back straight. "We… we surrender, but I ask that any punishment solely goes to me."

The other twin nearly dropped his sword. "C-captain, what are you saying?!"

"I'm saying what's best." He did not turn and continued to stare at her, his last act of defiance. "That is all I ask, Attendant _._ "

"Captain!" The teen was held back by his scarred brother, and the faces of the other men looked pained. "Let me go, dammit! Don't say that stupid shit, we're all to blame here!"

"As your captain, the actions of my men are ultimately on my shoulders."

"And here I thought you were bandits," Mika nonchalantly said.

Their shared looks of disgust and anger hadn't bothered her. Some people never tried to learn the distinction between the two, and pointing it out was a surefire way of affirming a group's ideology. Bandits merely lived for themselves. They pillaged for selfish, often morally reprehensible desires, killed for fun, and their camaraderie was shaky at best.

The captain's look soon turned into shame however. He screwed his eyes shut for a brief second, and stared at her tiredly. "Think what you want. Either way, it was originally my decision to attack you, and we lost."

"You lost a battle that didn't even have to be fought, wasted everyone's time and energy, and are now suffering for being unable to control one of your own," she stated blandly, as if she was only talking about the weather.

He visibly winced, and of the younger members of the group, the blond one with the bow, lowered his head.

One of the men who appeared of Palatan descent, with dark skin and scars on his bald head, sighed. "It was a choice made by everyone, we were desperate."

"I know."

The fuming redhead seemed ready to pounce at her tone, and as if catching her unimpressed expression, was jabbed on the stomach by his twin brother.

The captain shook his head as beads of sweat dropped from his temples. "You can demean me all you like."

"Oh?" In a burst of speed, Mika leveled her knife at the captain's jugular, eyes cold. The other four men paled, as she had seemingly teleported into their circle. None of them dared to move. "And if I wished for your life?"

"... Don't misunderstand me, I care for my life and will fight for it." His gaze hardened, alight with a fire that undoubtedly saw them though adversity. "If you want me to die, then that is your prerogative. But I will not go down without resistance."

She merely raised an eyebrow. "Brave words for someone at the end of a knife's edge."

"You are an Attendant, every action you take reflects on them as well," he challenged back at her.

"Then I call upon a blood oath."

There were gasps, but they remained staring down at each other. "And so you shall receive it. I am yours to use. Just don't touch my people, or I hope with my entire being that Ottivia makes you suffer for the rest of your days until you're dragged into Hel."

Mika hid a smile. She could respect that. "Good answer."

She backed away, stowing her knife into the slot in her sleeve. The mercenaries slightly relaxed once she established some distance. "Black Tea and Brownie, tie them up. Zongzi, would you mind helping me gather some of my knives please?"

The beginnings of a forest fire were doused by the others as the mercenaries were swiftly rounded up and tied. It would take them a few hours to trek back and smooth out what to do with them, and she'd need to strike up a favor with Vince to step in as the mediator and write them up a rudimentary testament if need be. They'd get home at night or in the wee hours of the morning at this rate, but she was sure that Ichi and Irena would understand.

Mika's gaze swept over the mercenaries, and she barked an order to check on them all before they moved out. Before Zongzi could move away however, she tugged at his sleeve. "Do keep an ear out for me Zongzi. Take Foie with you."

They were too vulnerable out in the open like this. Tempting fate was never good for anyone.

His eyes narrowed at the anxiety pulsing within her. "Understood, Master Attendant."

With that out of the way, she went over and knelt in front of the leader. He did not react, but she sensed the glare being sent to her by the pair of teenagers. She slowly gestured to his arm. "May I?"

"Don't touch him," the vocal one of the pair hissed.

She glanced at him. Now that the brief scuffle had ended, though she had told everyone to keep an eye out for any Fallen they could have attracted, the brat's emerald-green eyes were clear as day. They stood out from bloody red bird's nest of hair and pale skin, and when he shifted, his collarbone pushed at unhealthy pale skin.

A haggard face stared back at her, hair matted beyond belief.

The downpour sent shivers down her spine, but the pitter-patter against the stonework let the haze settle in. Anything to relieve that gnawing inside, even if it meant her toes and fingers numbed. The cold blanketed her, whispering for her to give in and close her eyes.

Perhaps the land can be washed anew.

Breaking a piece off the loaf, she tossed it into her mouth. Soggy and packed with dirt, but it was better than anything she'd eaten in a long time.

"What are you looking at?" Mika blinked. She'd been staring into space for too long. _Stay focused, not now._ "Just haul us over to where we need to be, Lady Attendant."

The title rolled off his tongue like poison, but she simply quirked a brow. "I'm afraid we can't do that without tending to most of your people's injuries."

"And why would you care?" he sneered.

"Because I'd rather everyone arrived at the ranch in one piece and not render this temporary ceasefire of ours null and void."

His scarred brother elbowed him, but he simply rolled his eyes. "I'd rather bleed out than get touched by—"

"Stop it kid," the leader interjected. "That's an order."

His mouth shut with a click of teeth, but the venomous glare did not recede. He reminded her of an angry tomato for some reason.

Mika bit down the urge to sigh. She had to focus, dammit. "Your arm?"

The leader complied, and if looks could kill, she'd be nothing but ash once her fingers hovered over the wound. Mika pushed that train of thought away for now, because try as he may, the man could not hide his paleness and cold sweat. Her knife had cut clean through his upper arm, and he was losing blood fast. Mika dug through her pouch for her sewing kit, a towel, and a bottle of alcohol, showing the teenagers the items individually to say that no, she wasn't going to poison him.

A dead man couldn't fulfill his oath after all, but that wasn't what they wanted to hear.

She scooted closer to his side, holding the towel at eye-level. "Bite down on this, okay? Unless you want to curse Ottivia's spawns throughout the process, because that's fine with me too."

His dilated eyes honed in on the object and he blinked a couple of times. He wordlessly opened his mouth, and she carefully stuffed it in. No need to get the tomato duo to raze her into the ground.

"This is going to hurt like a bitch, but please bear with me."

That got a snort out of him, even if it came out as a wheeze. Mika returned it with a wry look before she unscrewed the bottle and dumped alcohol over his arm. He grunted, shoulders locking up and knuckles turning white, but he thankfully did not squirm. She stitched his arm without an issue, rubbed a generous amount of healing salve, and wrapped him up.

"Thank you." The man's voice was weak, but thankfully he didn't sound close to collapsing.

"Not a problem. I'd much prefer the peace of mind of all parties, and besides, we still do have a deal to arrange." Mika assessed her work for a few seconds. His other injuries appeared superficial. "Alright, that should hold until we can get more extensive medical help from the ranch."

She turned to the rest, catching Brownie's gaze. "Master Attendant! We're set."

"Great." Mika cleared her throat. "Get ready to walk! I'd like for us to arrive at the ranch before sunset, and not a minute later. Is that clear?"

There were a few disgruntled responses, curses being thrown into the mix, but she paid them no heed. They really had no choice since she couldn't just have her Food Souls carry them there like a sack of potatoes.

Mika startled when Zongzi dropped down next to her, but any smart remarks died at his expression.

"Quiet," he curtly said.

She stilled. It was deathly silent, all color and life devoid within the forest apart from the mercenaries' erratic breathing and grass and dirt crunching under their feet. The hairs on her arm rose, and two knives were in her hands, the other snaking towards her emergency pouch. She spun, leaving her back towards Zongzi, and her eyes darted to and fro.

She sent out an urgent alert signal and cursed internally. Was it too much to ask for an uneventful sweep?

Mika closed her eyes, straining her hearing as best she could. It was faint, but something large was heading this way, bashing through the forest and felling trees faster than she thought possible. There were only a few things which could ever be the source of such chaos, and all signs pointed to only one.

Mika swallowed dryly. "Get them out of here."

"Master Attendant," Zongzi backed into her, and the tension practically rolled off of him. "Let us handle it."

"There's no choice, not with civilians in the picture—"

A shadow descended upon them.

Her weapon flew, impacting soft flesh with a squelch and spray of spittle and blood. She hopped back, another knife flying as the trident-sized fork rocketed towards her previous spot. It clashed against Zongzi's sword, but it cackled _,_ and one of its tentacles crashed into his side. Zongzi disappeared into the forest, but the scream that tore past her lips died when the ground cracked.

Blood-curdling screams resounded in her skull. "Retreat!"

The fissures glowed in an unearthly grey light, and slime oozed in all its undulating glory, wriggling across the weeds which wilted at its touch. Mika didn't give them the chance to form however, as she hastily threw a Molotov cocktail towards the emerging Fallen and their source.

It lazily swatted the projectile towards a group of Fallen, incinerating them into burned clumps of tar-like substance. _Shit, shit, this isn't good!_

A harsh blue light stopped the rest from emerging, but more cracks appeared, and Foie seemed to struggle with multiple of them bearing down on her psychic shield. Black Tea attempted to run towards her, but bailed to pull a screaming mercenary from being skewered.

Fifteen tired men, her Food Souls would be overwhelmed protecting them.

"Run! Get them out of here, hurry!"

It tilted its vaguely feminine head at her—she did not dare reciprocate _—_ a disfigured half of a mouth protruding from atop its matted brown hair. A toothy grin stretched across its face, tongue slithering back up its mouth despite its length and the wound it suffered. The inhuman part of its body covered the road with its mounds of tentacles, stray bits of nerves, coagulated blood and flesh coating each limb and eventually coloring the dying land with it. The somehow-bent fork it held in its hand was decorated in an array of eyeballs in various shapes and sizes, some bloodshot, decaying, and others destroyed after its piercing.

"Oh~?" it chirped, its pleasant tone such a contrast and oh-so- _wrong_. "Little humans have come to visit me today?"

Once was enough. No one sane wanted to face a Uke Mochi again.

"Attendant!" Brownie smashed his gun against a half-formed Bulimia. A bowl of black, slimy substance nearly splattered against his chest.

"Run, dammit!" Hesitation that wasn't hers lanced through her chest. "Tom, you're with me! The rest of you go NOW!"

The pungent smell of rotting flesh hit her, and Mika hastily retreated. A wall of light swallowed the Fallen about to pierce her and froze them in place, the rest crashing into it. _Thank you Foie._

The tentacle that slammed towards the ground nearly threw her off balance, destroying the barrier in one move. Molotovs soared, and for every one she'd killed, two more Fallen piece themselves together from the remains. Their vague humanoid features were perpetually growing more furious, collectively glaring into the very core of her being.

"Run little human~" the Uke Mochi sang. "Oh, yes, I do love a challenge~!"

Her senses went into overdrive, and the eyes of the monster on her back dug straight into her rapidly beating heart. No time, no time, and she launched more knives in rapid succession. Orange flashed, and the next thing she knew, she was being carried in Tom's arms. He bulldozed through the smaller Fallen with a dark, teeth-baring expression that made her stomach roll.

"You won't hurt my Master!" he roared.

And so they ran.

It did not matter where. They just needed to buy enough time for the mercenary group to be led to safety, and the team could be teleported back to defeat the monster. It was too risky, especially with the Uke Mochi's love for paralyzing its prey. Even Food Souls weren't immune to the effect, though with their constitution they broke out of the spell in a few seconds.

Seconds they didn't have.

A group of humans would be too tantalizing, so a distraction it had to be.

Tom veered into the forest, narrowly avoiding the tongue lashing and the acid sprays of lesser Fallen behind them. Another wave, another tree fell. The stench of blood, burning rubber, and decaying bodies attacked her nostrils. Scenery blurred. The ground shook, but she struck the creatures, impeding their assault.

They glowered and ran after them faster. Mika pushed through the killing intent, focusing on her accuracy and timing.

Four Fallen jumped from the bushes. Tom ducked, and jostled as she was, she only managed to nick one of them in the leg. She bounced in his arms, ignoring the taste of blood from accidentally biting the inside of her cheek. Out came another Molotov, blasting five amorphous blobs into dust. Upended trees and the thick brambles around did little to help them, but it was easier to set fire. More projectiles went flying, and fire caught on the withered branches.

"This will only make it faster for me~!" Uke Mochi cackled.

She barely registered the words and the object rocketing their way. Mika was airborne. The involuntary scream was lost in the sea of monstrous noises, and gravity worked against her when Tom caught her from an odd angle. His arm shot out, and the pulse of air broke their fall.

Mika yelped as they hit the ground running. Her eyes were watery from her sudden flight and her stomach was queasy. Only instinct saved them from the deformed Rocketero pointing its cannon their way, and it howled in pained from her knives hitting both eyes.

Tom wheezed out a curse. All the transformed animals had joined in, and the wild maneuvers he had to employ was slowing them down. The Uke Mochi continued on with its giddy traipsing, not minding the trail of bodies and destruction they'd left behind.

"How long do you think you can last in our little game, little human and pet?" it crowed.

A tentacle wrapped around the fork, the damnable thing it just used as a javelin. The eyeballs floated around its head like a halo, dripping gel-like fluid.

Her arms burned, but it didn't matter. She couldn't stop.

"Such fun we will have~!"

Blood roared in her ears, and her body revolted at the notion. Mika reached deeper, beckoning her fluctuating power to flow faster into her Food Souls. The rest of the team was still far from reaching the ranch, and the boost would shave away minutes.

Tom gave her a grateful look, but it didn't last long.

The forest thinned, making way for the foot of the mountain and the tall, rocky outcropping with no visible way out. Whatever footholds there were, they were narrow and would not hold both of them for long even if they tried to climb them just for the tactical advantage. They were effectively trapped.

"My, my~" There was a loud crash and the sound of pure glee. "Little human doesn't want to run anymore?"

 _Would you like a smack-down of ungodly proportions perhaps, a side of broken bones and bruises, and the wonderful taste of blood to choke yourself in then?_ a dark part of her mind whispered.

Her body screamed at her to run and never look back, but she tamped down on the growing chasm and cold, hard logic took its place.

She couldn't hesitate.

Fallen Angels slipped in from every corner in the shadows with their beady little eyes and jagged teeth, buzzing angrily. The others were still ten minutes away at their best speed, and leaving the mercenaries on their own would be much riskier in their current condition.

Mika gritted her teeth, choice already set. She backed up and crouched against the rocky formation, uncaring even if some stabbed into her thighs. "… Buy me some time."

"You can count on me, Attendant!" Tom blitzed past her and into the converging mob.

They rushed at him, and he bobbed and weaved through, yelling at the top of his lungs. His soul power spiked, forcing most of the Fallen Angel's attention to him. The mob split as the Uke Mochi's tongue whipped at him, missing him by mere inches. One eyeball Fallen aimed for his unprotected back, but her knife sent it veering off-course, and Tom barely recovered as a tentacle made him skid along the ground.

A smaller group of Fallen unaffected by Tom's aura took the chance and went straight for her.

Mika unsheathed the sword she normally hid under her coat and met them halfway.

She sliced through two, and four, and eight, but the never-ending horde were increasingly persistent in its advances. Mika twisted backwards, narrowly avoiding the rain of acid that sizzled at the rocks. Spinning on her heel, her boot crashed into one of syringe-carrying eyeballs. Momentum carried her, jumping above another and released another Molotov. The explosion and heat licked at her skin, and she narrowly dodged the two that used her attack as a smokescreen.

From the corner of her eye, Tom struggled with the tentacles and the many scratches and hits he was taking from the smaller ones. "I've always wondered what burnt eyeballs looked like, now I want to add you both to my collection~"

"Not a chance!" Tom snarled.

"Oh, little pet, how does your garden grow?"

Faster than before, Tom plowed through them all. He made his way towards the Uke Mochi, which met him with a demented parody of a smile. The fork rocketed towards him, but Tom swerved and in a burst of bright orange light mixed with purple, ripped through one of the tentacles. Uke Mochi shrieked and she swore her ears popped then and there.

Her fingers found the familiar slips of paper, each one containing an azure star overlapping four circles and a dimly glowing blue diamond crystal in the middle. It burned brighter at her call, that veritable wellspring of energy that tangled itself into every living being, much like the dreamscape in its vastness yet much more tangible and grounded.

Tom kicked a pesky squid Fallen and back-flipped away from the giant fork, but the smoke hid the tongue slithering towards his leg.

 _'Blessed I shall be by the Goddess Elvira, embodiment of wisdom_

 _The balance shifts—first, third, fifth cyclical tempo_

 _And so by virtue of the oath sworn upon you, protect your chosen_

 _Endure this pestilence, Zero Degrees!'_

Her mana thrashed in her chest at the incomplete chant, climbing up pathways in her arm and through her fingers like lightning. She violently shook, and the bluish light shot out of her hand. It covered Tom in a transparent bubble just as he crashed past the trees and into the smoke.

Dodging an overhead swipe, Mika cursed. She was alone.

"Ah~ too bad, we were just having fun! Oh well." The surging Fallen came to a stop, and they parted at the tongue which extended to absurd lengths. "I've tagged you, little human!"

Do not look.

The eyes were everywhere.

"It's quite funny actually~ Long ago, a sister used to be here, you see? You see?" A strange little sound escaped the creature. Briefly, she considered if it was actually upset. "Her eyeballs were so wonderful too~!"

"Yes, I had, and we killed her," the last word came out with a cough.

The shrilly laughter and the building pressure in the area made the hairs on her skin stand. "Yes, yes~! Such a shame, I wanted to collect it…"

Mika stepped closer to the rock formation. Her last two Molotov cocktails left a decent amount of space.

Flesh tore and rebuilt itself, absorbing the other Fallen Angels with nary a thought. Tentacles grew in size and length, while the womanly form of the Uke Mochi melted into muscle, which expanded rapidly as its mass bubbled and increased. Tufts of thick, black hair covered in dried slime sprouted from its head. Bone shards clicked together, reattaching themselves unto the cavity where the tongue stayed, whipping blindly at her as the change took place.

Mika clambered up to the unused vantage point, avoiding a Ring Tooth trying to stop itself from being integrated into the evolving abomination. It wasn't going to last.

Pathways fired up, energy circling upon the red quartz talisman now in her death grip. The connection wavered, layers upon layers of walls blocking access— _no,_ she refused—and her entire being did not matter. Her metaphysical hands breached through the surface and held unto it with all her might.

It pushed. She persisted.

The sizzling noise preceded the growth of bulbous eyes, the grey skin flapping over it before it fit to the point of bursting. It looked towards her, manic and _wrongdon'tlookpleasedon't_ —

She couldn't, she couldn't breath, she couldn't see. What was going on? What...

Do not resist, it will be quick.

" **M** a **y** I **c** o **l** l **e** c **t** y **o** u **r** s **i** n **s** t **e** a **d**?"

A split second of silence apart from the pops and cracks of the blazing forest. Too loud, too bright, everything was sensitive and dug its way deep into her skull. Mika wore herself like flayed skin, standing three centimeters away from the frozen figure, behind and out of synchronization with the rest of time. Weightless, unbound by the world, she was free. She was free, she could forget everything and welcome oblivion.

Oblivion was not where she belonged. Yet it did, didn't it? As long as she let go.

That's it, let go and sleep.

Come back—

There was an enraged shout for her name, echoing six, to ten and to fifteen times. The strength of its desperation reverberated through her, and a rubber band pulled free. Oil spilled forth, and the red quartz vibrated.

Drip, drip, fill, and soon embers drifted. Her existence was nigh, yet it was what she desired.

 _'Until nothing but ashes remain.'_

For dreams and miracles were two sides of the same coin, and her own was but a pale imitation of what it used to be. It didn't stop her, even as the air choked her with its repugnancy. Were these her lungs? Nothing was right, she itched and itched without a sense of how.

The metallic stench was familiar however, and it always would be.

 _'The kindling upon where these flames burn will be tested._

 _Of flesh and bone, such is void._

 _Of spirit and mind, regale in the sorrows._

 _Here shall you lie, and let the Gods rue your existence._

"Relish this Sin, Grilled Purgatory!"

The chorus of screams began.

.

Mika awoke to darkness.

For a brief second, she numbly wondered if she died. The combination of the heavy weight on top of her, her throbbing head, and the distant sensation of spasms affirmed that she was alive. Her body twitched again, her breastplate digging into her back, and she tried to blink away the dark spots threatening to swallow her whole.

She was grounded, here and now.

Her lungs were her own, her limbs right, the pain a reminder of who and what she was. The thick cloying smoke burned in her esophagus.

Mika was going to die if she didn't move.

That kicked her instincts into gear. With a gasp, Mika pushed the weight off, only to stop.

Tom's heavy breathing and the blood trailing down his forehead clutched at her throat. She placed a palm on his soot-covered cheeks, and the brief contact proved a small amount of relief. Her connection to the others was distant static, most likely due to her exerting too much borrowed mana. There was only a small trickle of hers left, barely keeping her conscious and tethering her Food Souls to herself.

She couldn't attempt a force summon now. The rest of the team had to foot it, and she instinctively knew they were on their way.

Mika wriggled her way out, panting harder. Her clothes were singed and torn, and her right arm was burnt badly up to her forearm.

Araga, those dumbasses back at the research department were going to hear about this, that prototype was extremely unstable. She swore those terms of liability should've covered extensive mana burns. The others who'd signed on to this project should be warned as soon as possible, although the Council and the royal family might be overjoyed at the progress.

She swore. Her lizard-brain brought up rejuvenating tea from Sakurajima to public order rescheduling, filtering in information that held no immediate importance yet was still hers.

It was better than the eyes.

Focus.

When she glanced over at Tom, her heart almost stopped. A large wound dragging from his shoulder down to his side dyed his white vest crimson. Faded gold particles were floating away from the blood, the tiniest amounts of soul power being carried back into the atmosphere.

Shit.

Mika rifled through her pack and fumbled with a small clear crystal. Her burnt hands hovered over his back, but her core was unresponsive. "Dammit, come on! Please, not again!"

It curled reluctantly at her intent, but didn't do anything else.

 _Useless, what did you think would happen? You should have slept in the darkness like all who saw me._

A glint of steel caught her eye, and Mika hastily grabbed it. Her sword was still whole, good. With a grunt, she cut through her palm and let the blood dribble down the crystal. It turned cloudy red at first, and became a dark, almost opaque black color.

This time, her mana sluggishly flowed up through her arm and into her hand. Tom's pained groan served as ample motivation in coaxing it into speeding up the coagulation of blood and mending broken tissue as best as she could. Food Souls may be mana constructs, but their simulation of the human anatomy made it easier to visualize the healing process.

It took a few minutes of concentration until Tom's breathing steadied and his soul power stabilized. Her core and overall energy was running dangerously low. She slumped in her position, vision doubling and struggling to catch her breath.

They needed to get back to the ranch. Gods, she needed a break.

"Still alive, huh..?"

Mika whipped her head around, immediately regretting it after the dizziness nearly made her vomit.

Red flashed in her peripherals. "So, what to do with you..?"

Mika craned her head up, and fought the urge to laugh hysterically.

The snap echoed in the clearing. It served as the final push of the stone down her stomach, but she held on to the hope that it was swift. His pained chokes would be seared into her memory.

It was a better alternative, if only it didn't haunt her like the rest.

"You," she simply said.

Sharp red eyes narrowed, but the small smirk on Boston Lobster's face remained. "So, we meet again, human."

She internally wondered if Lady Luck enjoyed seeing humanity flail about. Mika frowned, subconsciously shifting and ignoring her agonized muscles, so she blocked his view of Tom. "What do you want?"

"Is that what you really want to say after you made me spill my wine and come out here?" He snorted then gestured behind him, silver hair and bright red hair a sharp contrast to the smoke. "Really, you couldn't even finish the job correctly."

That gave her pause. The silhouette was hard to make out, but within the dying fires was the mangled, burnt remains of tentacles and flesh. Broken pieces of metal were scattered mere feet away.

No eyes.

"It was about to skewer you since you were so oblivious." Boston Lobster leaned forward, his two pincers looking menacing up close. "I could have just ignored it, but it was the closest thing I could kill, not that it took much effort."

Finally.

Gods, she must be out of it more than she had thought, maybe she was concussed. It'd certainly explain the damned headache. So despite her reservations, she smiled up at him. "… Thank you then. I'm in your debt."

The words seemed to surprise him, and he straightened. "I don't need your thanks, human. Just get out of here."

"I would if I could." Mika gave him a strained grin. It was strange to be speaking so casually to one of the most well-known rogue Food Souls in Tierra, but since he hadn't done anything against her yet at the moment, she'd play civil. "I'm currently spent though."

Boston Lobster raised an eyebrow. "Not my problem. Why don't you wake that guy and get lost? I saw you heal him."

She glanced at Tom, and her fingers traveled through his hair, dislodging some dust and soot. "I'd like him to rest a bit more. I owe at least that to him after he protected me back there. Honestly…"

He walked closer to the bits of flesh and tar, kicking it lightly. "Yeah, you probably trained him well."

"Tom had already trained before I summoned him," Mika couldn't help but say. She gently combed through his hair and stopped over a slightly wetter patch. "… He's helped me more than I helped him, and I can't thank him enough for it."

Boston Lobster sneered. "Guess you really are a weakling, huh?"

Mika rolled her eyes, and she blinked a couple of times to ward of another dizzy spell. "Yeah, yeah, you can lord over your victory on us back then."

That was if she didn't include their meeting in Light Kingdom, since that was more of a riddle and a unholy revelation than a fight.

"You should be grateful. I've decided to spare you thrice now," he said.

"And why are you sparing me now?" The question came without much thought, but to say she wasn't curious would be a lie. Why did he decide to leave after using the syringe? He could've simply waited until they were spent and went for the kill. "The first you were told off by your previous Master Attendant to do so."

Something dark flitted by in his expression, and she knew that she touched a nerve. "Do not mistake this for anything else, human. I simply acted because of the mess and inconvenience you caused, and it just happened to benefit you."

That made sense. Considering he'd declared that he saw humans as less than even the dirt under his shoe and their less-than-friendly previous encounters, she likely wasn't high on his list of favorite people. "Nevertheless, thank you. And again, I'm in your debt."

Boston Lobster clicked his tongue and walked off, but something possessed her to talk again.

"Did you say that you spilled your wine earlier?"

He halted in his tracks, those red eyes passing over her as if she was nothing. "That's none of your business."

Indeed it wasn't, but her gaze flitted between the Fallen Angels which nearly took her life and her stupidly brave Food Soul dozing next to her. Mika met his annoyed gaze, and took a leap of faith.

"Would you like to come with me then?"

* * *

 **[** The meeting between you and Boston Lobster was determined long ago by destiny. **]**

* * *

 **Q:** Which character do you think you'd be most likely to get along with? For me, it's probably with Yuxiang or Zongzi, since the former enjoys diving into books and history, while the latter is pretty considerate and quiet, plus he can tolerate some teasing.


	4. Shadows of Tomorrow

**AN:** Some adjustments were made to previous chapters. It doesn't completely deviate from what was already written, but the additions will shed light on new things that will be discussed here. More notes below.

* * *

.

 **Chapter 4**

 **Shadows of Tomorrow**

 **.**

 **_ . _**

 **.**

An Attendant may operate as an independent judicial power, comparable to the authority of a Baron, on criminal or civil matters where official court procedures are not incumbent for resolutions. This shall be in effect on the conditions that: judgement shall be shared with an impartial party, and to not infringe upon the kingdom's security.

\- Article Two, Section Seven of the Intercontinental Attendant Guild Laws.

 **.**

 **_ . _**

 **.**

As a Cooking Attendant and engaging in general social situations for the past twenty-six years of her life, Mika had plenty of experience in reading people. It was a necessary skill in dealing with individuals from all walks of life. That's why she expected the condescending 'are-you-serious-or-did-you-get-dropped-as-a-child' look and an immediate rejection spilling with vitriol.

Those expectations were thrown out the window at the strange glint in Boston Lobster's eyes, his mouth set in a tight line. Seconds ticked by and a bead of sweat rolled down the side of her face.

Had she touched another nerve?

Mika raised her hand in faux-calm. No need for him to sniff out more weaknesses. "You don't have to if you're busy."

The words snapped him out of the trance, and his gaze gained an edge of steel as if truly seeing her for the first time. "What makes you think I'll come anywhere with a human?"

"Honestly? None, since you have no reason to trust me, especially in recent times." She didn't dare back down from those eyes. Something niggled at the back of her head not to. "I would like to show my gratitude however, and the ranch has a fine selection of Nevras-quality wine for you to choose from."

He folded his arms, scoffing. "So? Do you think I'm so stupid as to walk into a den of humans just for that?"

Mika snorted. "If you did, I'd happily eat old muddy boots. You can stand outside of the ranch perimeter while I fetch it instead. I heard a few have been preserved for decades now, their taste has some endeared plenty of Gloriville nobles."

The antennae on his head waved back and forth, and Boston Lobster's arms dropped back to his side. "Listen closely, human, because I won't say this again. Whatever ideas are in your head, get rid of them. I don't care for your misplaced sentiments."

Mika blinked. "What does that have to do anything? It's just an offer, nothing more, nothing less."

"You're a fool," Boston Lobster said. "And if you even have a small sense of self-preservation, keep quiet before I think twice about being merciful."

She stifled the laughter. Someone wasn't pulling their punches. "Do consider it, won't you?"

"You never stop, do you?" Boston Lobster's tone was flat.

Mika shook her head with a chuckle. Wow, this concussion was making her too giggly. "Better to laugh than cry about things past."

"You'll be crying in a few seconds if you don't shut your mouth and get moving."

"How bold of you to fancy post-battle c—"

"Shut. Up." It would've been easy to laugh at his pink-tinted cheeks, but she refrained when he shot her a poisonous look that made belladonnas tame in comparison. Instead, Mika gave him a lopsided grin which she swore made an eyelid twitch. "Get the hell out here or you'll regret it."

That was a dismissal if she'd ever heard one. "Trust me, I'd love nothing more than to get home and take a bath. I am human though, and I need a breather."

He clicked his tongue, eyeing her in mild disgust and annoyance. With one last glare, Boston Lobster disappeared into the foliage, the red and white engulfed in the last dredges of smoke.

Once she was sure he was gone, Mika threaded her good hand through her now-loose hair, grimacing. Damn, she should really invest into some more hair ties.

She stared up at the calm blue skies. A far cry from those hectic ten minutes. The soft breeze caressed her aching muscles, whispering sweet nothings.

Unpolluted. She was not broken again.

Maybe one day the world could be much simpler.

Sighing, Mika carefully moved Tom Yum into a more comfortable and obscured position in between a newly made dent in the outcropping. She shed her tattered coat, plucking the mostly empty bandoliers off and looping them around her body, and placed it snug around his shoulders. Color was returning to his face, thankfully.

The same couldn't be said for her, and she hastily rummaged through her emergency pouch for some bandages and salve. Mika cursed under her breath when the items slipped from her shaking hands.

 _Get yourself together, idiot, you're still out here in the open._ She slowly breathed in and out, hoping the world didn't turn into another disorienting experience.

At least nothing's dislocated.

After tending to her wounds, Mika took stock. She had five throwing knives, her sword, two chances for protection and one more purgatory left. The last one was out of the question even if she had energy to spare. Her eyes scoured the area for any spares, but seeing the extent of damage the land had occurred, she resigned herself to a hefty commission. There was a crater and a building's worth of space at the deforestation.

Maybe she could ask for a two-day leave from the mission lineups. They did just eliminate a damned Enhanced-type Fallen. Come to think of it, maybe she could ask Nico for a favor.

Plopping to the ground near a deformed rock, Mika tore into one of the unscathed granola bars and guzzled down on her water, but she hesitated at the two thick vials with clear vibrant pink liquid at the very bottom of her pouch. High-quality stamina potions costed a fortune and had a limited quarterly supply from the research department, and she didn't fancy using her own concoctions for the remainder of the next few months.

 _Not the time to be picky,_ her mind chastised. Uncapping the potion, she chugged it down, the taste of artificial strawberry and citrus swirling in her mouth unpleasantly. Still, it was a far cry from any bitter medicine she'd ever had. It tingled in an off-key pattern down her pathways, replenishing her energy until the need to crash. A crash she wasn't looking forward to.

Multiple voices echoed after she focused, and worry flooded her senses. No, she wasn't too badly injured, but Tom's out like a light and they needed rescuing.

Huh?

Oh, dear.

Mist crept up the splintered section of trees, entombing them in thick transparent sheets which served as the pillars of a beautiful multi-layered dome extending all the way to the outcropping. Small fractals snaked along the branches in an alternating star and fern-like patterns, hanging off of them like wind chimes. Sunlight bounced off the new construct in a myriad of colors, piercing through the hazy remains of smoke.

"That was fast," she muttered, mostly to herself.

Chains jangled when Foie touched down, and in the brief second that their eyes met, she knew that she'd deeply upset her Food Soul. Her normally hidden transparent wings stood out in its gleaming form, shedding more than the usual amount of feathers. "Master Attendant."

Mika awkwardly smiled, trying to ignore the way Foie's eyes zeroed in on her hands. "I appreciate you reforming the area, for however long it lasts."

It also served as a good marker for any passing Attendants or would-be-camping traveling caravans and the like, considering the trace amounts of Soul Power. Eventually, it would all melt back into the dreamscape and leave just one of many marks into Tierra's soil.

Forcing herself to stand, she hobbled over to where Tom snoozed, drool trailing down the side of his mouth. "One of you will have to carry him. I don't want him to wake up just yet after earlier."

Foie approached, and much to her surprise, gently knocked her scepter near Mika's temple. She leaned into the cool sensation. "Black Tea stayed behind. The rest will arrive in a few seconds."

"That's good." Right on cue, more figures landed nearby, and Mika cringed. "Let's get back to the ranch first, shall we?"

.

Their return to the ranch took less time than normal, and the calming aura of the ranch was a healing balm for her weary self. They cut straight past Vince's workshop and straight into one of the less-used warehouses near the shore. The mercenaries were off to the side near the stack of wooden chests and crates, quietly eating broth, bread and tangerines. None of them appeared fatally injured, and their leader looked much better than earlier.

Black Tea cocked her gun and swiftly slipped it back into her holster. She tore her gaze away from the group and nodded in Mika's direction. There were surprised noises at their entrance, but the act was forgotten in the face of Vince's razor-sharp smile. "Ordelio. When I told ya'll to be careful, I actually meant it."

"I wish the same, Decharr." Mika pushed herself off Zongzi's back with an apologetic look.

Vince's expression mellowed while he looked up and down at her half-burnt, half-dead state, but it was replaced by an unreadable one. "I got most of what happened from Miss Black Tea here and got 'em something quick and easy."

"Thanks." Zongzi's arm looped around hers, and she was guided to Vince's side. She channeled her manager facade, ignoring the pain in her gut. "I have to ask another favor."

"Well, spit it out."

"Mediator," she said. "If you're up for it that is."

Vince's brows furrowed. "That so? But first, ya better get that dunderhead back to my place. He looks like he strolled through Ottivia's wastelands and got spat out of a spawn's behind."

They glanced back at the sleeping Tom Yum on Brownie's back. The former peacefully napped thanks to the small mist cloud emanating from Foie's scepter, while the latter seemed distinctly uncomfortable without his gun, which had been passed off to Milk out of necessity. Their murmurs and the half-buzz through her core were sending an aftershock of fatigue through her.

"Do you need us for something else Attendant?" Zongzi asked.

"I'll need you to carry Tom Yum to the ranch's ice arena. I need Brownie and Black Tea here for the meantime." A cheeky little smile played on her lips, it didn't feel correct, but it was serviceable. "Just for a bit, I'll make this quick and we can all bunk together."

Zongzi nodded—ah, he's blushing—and carefully extracted himself from her. "A-Alright, but please, do conduct yourself."

"Yes dear." Mika elbowed him, wiggling her eyebrows and enjoying the way he nervously laid a hand on his sword's pommel. Honestly, he was always so adorable when he's flustered, although he'd gotten better at hiding it.

The ever-alert Brownie stepped forward, bending over so Zongzi could carry Tom Yum in his arms. Without the weight on his back, Brownie fixed his skewed bowler hat and secured his gun, the weapon lightly glowing at his touch.

"I presume I am to be a witness, yes?" Brownie leveled a knowing look at her.

Mika returned it with a bemused grin.

"Do you need us to prepare something once you return?" Zongzi questioned.

"Tea and maybe prep some incense please." Unfortunately, Mika became all too aware of the growing aches at the mere thought. She couldn't show weakness yet, couldn't break and piece herself together again. "If possible, I'll need some more ice and burn creams."

Milk let out a small, considering noise. "I'll ask Miss Decharr."

"If you would, thanks," Mika said.

"If that is all, we shall be going." Zongzi dipped forward, readjusting his hold on Tom Yum, and hastily departed.

The others were right on his tail, Foie and Milk glancing back at them briefly.

"Just go, I'm not going to drop dead that easily," she remarked. "I want my pillows extra fluffy however."

There was a nudge that suspiciously felt like a huff through their link. Mika softly giggled. She loved the feeling. Not the cold wrapping around her, welcoming her into the abyss.

 _Resist all you want, we will come back._

Now with that done, she turned back to the boggled mercenaries. "If everyone's had their fill, then perhaps it's time we get started?"

Their disgruntled leader scooted closer, expression grave and shoulders drawn. His fellow mercenaries subtly moved in as well, all with identical intense stares, as if they were judging and disapproving of her very breathing. He didn't notice however and said: "I am listening."

Mika glanced back to Vince, who had brought out his old notebook and was spinning a fountain pen.

"If ya'll ready then." He went to stand in the middle, impassive at the attention it garnered. A square-shaped gem popped out from the tip of the pen to rest, flashing twice. "On the fifteenth day of the Imperial Calendar's mid-Morse fall season, we gather here in Golden Tree Ranch for a semi-official hearing between two parties and to come to an unshakable resolution. I, Vincent Erron Decharr, owner of Golden Tree Ranch, will be the mediator for this session. I pledge to be an impartial judge, in the name of fairness and truth."

"You who called upon this trial." Mika stared down at the shining gem. "Please state your name, occupation, and case."

"Mika Ordelio, licensed Attendant of Gloriville and restaurant owner. I'm here to settle with a peaceful arrangement with the mercenaries who attacked us, and to accept a blood oath."

Though his expression stayed the same, Vince's menacing aura had her twitching. "... And you, sir, state your name, occupation, and confirmation or counter of the case."

The leader blinked a couple of times. Step one. "I, uh, I'm Ivan Reflet, leader of the mercenary group Irisha Mereta. I deny nothing, and I've come here to answer whatever punishment the Attendant will impose and to finalize the blood oath."

She silently tested the name on her tongue. Eastern Nevrasian perhaps?

"As was presented to me, the case has been confirmed willingly. Negotiations will commence after a private exchange of oaths." Vince breathed in, and the gem dimmed. "Alright, you have an hour to freely ask questions and talk."

At Ivan's clear confusion, she said: "We're recording for formalities sake, the Guild likes to keep track of any business engagements as much as possible, especially if there's oath's involved. National law prevents any Attendant from completely exploiting the system, especially when it stands in a gray area that's hard to monitor."

"Like the Fanged Spider?" Everybody in the room turned to look at the scarred redhead. He awkwardly ducked his head. "I mean, it's hard to find anyone who wouldn't know about that fellow when you first mention an oath. He was crazy."

"Personally, I'd call Theron Karius' rise to infamy... innovative." Mika smiled sadly. "It was after five years when it was discovered he had hundreds of oaths that made him and his family nigh untouchable. Karius had enough clout not to be immediately brought to court, despite his other status as a summoner, being the son of a beloved marquis. He even continued on for three years, expanding his network and allies to Nevras and Light Kingdom, some say he was even serving as a code-breaker in order to survey Palatian forces. Alas, he was executed just shortly after the uprising in 235 after some shady documents were unearthed, cited as one of the masterminds of the event in a bid for the throne. Though if you asked me, I'd say there was foul play involved, not that it would be surprising with court politics."

The scarred redhead seemed starry-eyed, but whatever he was going to say was cut off by his twin, who was frowning so hard she was afraid it was going to be permanent.

"Though you don't have to worry, I only have plans for one oath to be made today." Her words mollified the deeply contemplative Ivan. "To begin with, maintaining that many requires not only a surplus of magical instruments, but the foresight to balance them all, what with the different ways to invoke them. Which contributes to the man's impressive moniker, if I say so myself."

"If you're finished with the impromptu history lesson there, kiddo?" Mika shot him a look. He ignored her, busily jotting down on his notebook but not without the deliberate tap of a finger against where the gem rested, warning them to stay civil or else. "Ya'll do what yer supposed to do, eh? Time's a ticking."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't get too preoccupied with your novel, old man."

The man's smirk was gone as quick as it came. "Better than rough-housing, ya monkey! Ya better not break a thing."

Mika huffed imperiously, nose stuck up in the air. "As if a delicate intellectual woman such as myself could do that."

"Ha! About as delicate as an Aizen rampaging the streets on Creation Day for rice wine." Vince slapped away the spoon she aimed at his face. She swore she heard a snort. "Though yer ego be as fragile as noble's bottom after half a day of horse-riding."

"And your mouth is as horrid as those deformed chickens you call wood-working masterpieces." As much as she wanted to continue the childish back-and-forth, she had to re-orient herself. "Just shush in your corner."

"Shush, she says."

Okay, her brain-to-mouth filter was definitely defunct at the moment.

"So! Ivan, how long have you guys been established?"

Said man wore a look bewilderment at the change of mood. Step two. "We've... been operating for three years."

"Just a little after the war, huh?" She knew the old Nevrasian name from somewhere, _Shadow of Tomorrow_ , but it was a passing familiarity from hearing it maybe once or twice. She needed to find one of her old informants for more information. "I remember those days. Mercenaries were high in demand back then, Attendants were practically at one-fourth of their small numbers in Gloriville and were stuck doing border patrols and or on Fallen Angel extermination jobs."

The redhead once again brightened, but stayed quiet at his brother's chastising. On the other hand, Ivan went rigid, scrutinizing her in search of something she didn't know. "Right... we frequently visited Gloriville for work, but we usually took up escort and transport requests. Groups like the Canaan Mercenary Regiment and the Holy See were taking care of the heavy lifting in reconstruction and protection."

"Makes sense." Mika wanted to ask more, but they were getting severely off-track. "The parameters of your most recent job would be?"

Not subtle, but he got the hint. Ivan found his boots much more interesting to look at for a second. "Guarding a merchant vessel and their newly-purchased cargo from danger on the seas. Your butler Food Soul over there could attest to our credibility on that front."

"Brownie?"

"It is the truth, the salmon from yesterday was among the few from the salvaged barrels of products they were carrying." The heat from his gun had her clamp down on a knee-jerk reaction. Sensing her sudden distress, Brownie stepped farther. "It was a small ship, fit for surviving storms and pirates but not reinforced with any of the standard magical supplements."

Vince caught her eye, and he pointed towards the table of lackluster weaponry. "I don't mean to offend, but they might have benefited more from hiring an Attendant from the Nevras guild circles or if they are as rich as I presume they are, go for a private military group. Honestly, the lack of long-range options tell me a different story."

"We were going a bit dry after some trouble in Nevras and no opportunities in Light Kingdom, and we figured it would be easy money when they came to us. We have, or rather had, a cache of magic crystals at our disposal. Made any Fallen extermination jobs a non-issue." Ivan laughed, a harsh and emotionless one that caused the men behind him to visibly worry. "You can see how that went."

It was affecting even business in Nevras then. Thanks to the Council, it hadn't spread how badly Food Souls and their Attendants were falling off the radar every week, and the work of public servant Food Souls and the upcoming festival back home helped distract the masses. Besides that, she hadn't initially put much stock on the rumors of mercenary companies dwindling, mostly because they seemed to have met their end by unfortunate, but conventional means. That was a mistake.

Mika chewed on her lip. "... You ran out of magic crystals during the ambush?"

"Got in it one, Attendant." Ivan's eyes glazed over, as if reliving a memory. "We were attacked by a couple of Conchi and half-transformed octopi which punched a big hole on the ship. Barely won after exhausting our supplies. Lost us a few crates in the process of finding clear land to dock on and not sink, so the merchants decided that they weren't going to pay us after a shoddy job of protecting the goods."

She was missing a piece however. It was odd no matter which angle she looked at. What possessed these merchants to rush?

"You said they came to you?"

"That they did," he said. "Ven had been out shopping when he was approached by one of the merchant's errand boys."

Oh, an actual name. The temperamental half of the tomato duo shuffled closer to his captain's position, He was the kind of teenager who didn't seem to have great tolerance to teasing.

"Do you remember what the errand boy look like?"

Ven was visibly reluctant, and it was only thanks to Ivan's reassuring nod that he stated: "Mildly tanned, brown hair and brown eyes, average height and build. After he brought up the offer, he gave me a list of instructions to follow, which I gave to the captain."

Judging by the glimpse of sourness on the kid's face, he probably got told off for acting without other seniors.

"Talked about it with the others, decided that we may as well go. We contacted the errand boy again and were led straight to the fancy neighborhood. Met with the merchant's liaison, he was a short man named Louie with a rather tall hooded fellow for a bodyguard. We hashed things out over two days," Ivan said.

A hooded fellow, huh?

She had to look into the pattern soon, maybe even ask Blue Stone Town's mayor when they returned. The sightings had been few and far in between after the incident in Light Kingdom, and while it might be a coincidence, she was holding out for a sign.

"How much gold?"

"A million," Ivan grunted out. "I know, it sounds ludicrous, but they were the kind of folks that seemed to have good relations to the Academy scientists. We worked out a deal that we would be paid thirty-three percent in three halves. We received the first pay upfront, the second when we docked at Hilena Port, and the remaining when we returned to Nevras. The scuffle on the ship caused us to lose the money however, one of my men nearly went overboard."

Sounded too good to be true, and in the end, it became that way. She refrained from commenting that out loud. "How about the name of your clients?"

His arm moved subconsciously, and he winced. She had forgotten to ask Vince if he had one of those healing cards. "The two big-shots were Ferris Korhonen and Ani Vashkal."

While she hadn't heard of Vashkal, Korhonen was one of those people who had the reputation of being an absolute menace when it came to his profit margins. It wouldn't be a surprise if he was plotting to get rid of his competitors or trying to cheat the economy somehow. "I see. So the reason you came after us because after being promised a good chunk of gold since you lot were running low on supplies, the merchants backed down on their promise?"

"That's the gist of it," Ivan concurred.

It might be a dead end, but she was taking that lead and committing it to memory. "Alright. Give us a moment."

Before the hissing in her head started its monologue again, she pulled Brownie and Black Tea aside.

"Thoughts?" she asked softly.

Brownie's cat-like eyes became thoughtful, and in the lighting, they almost looked hypnotic. "They are being completely truthful, and Sir Ivan does not seem to be faking."

"Their equipment is maintained decently, and I saw a small bag filled with leftover crystal fragments. From further observation, I believe they've contracted a mild case of scurvy and light miasma poisoning." Black Tea added. The woman looked to Mika for confirmation, who patiently smiled back. "They'll recover in a few days. Their statements line up, what comes after is the Attendant's responsibility."

"What do you plan to use them for, Attendant?"

In any other instance, the words might have been disturbing. They needed manpower however, and it fell into their lap. Olivia was already busy and trying to pull a Karius move would take a whole lot of political favors and money.

Ivan was murmuring under his breath, and those closest to him were appeased, despite anxiety crossing their features. In a brilliant flash of inspiration she mentally dismantled and rebuilt, she spoke: "Here's how it's going to be. We're first going to finalize our blood oath."

Ivan's face morphed in shock, but soon relaxed. Step three. "I see, I have no problems with that. But what of my company?"

Mika mustered a small smile. "We've agreed that the oath applies to you, yes? Of course, I have no objections if the others call upon it."

"That's not necessary," he said quickly.

The men behind him obviously thought otherwise. "The details of my plan for you will be laid down once it's done, provided there is no refusal. Or would you like a breakdown of it now?"

Step four. Ivan pondered over it, and she allowed him to convene with his group, moving next to Vince for a semblance of privacy. After a few minutes of heated exchanges intermixed with worried growling, Ivan resolutely stared at her. "Either way, it's best to get the oath out of the way."

Plucking another synthetic crystal from her pocket, she briefly played around the idea of a light show and discarded it, when the screech of metal had everyone recoiling. Mika tugged a glove off, and she once more spilled her own blood. Drip it went, and after a rudimentary cleaning using her other half-torn glove, she threw the sword near Ivan's feet. She stopped at the wide-eyed, ill expression on the man's face.

"Do Nevrasians do the oath differently?"

He took a deep breath. Gingerly, he gripped her sword and swiped his palm. "There may be some difference in the method, but I assume it would be the same?"

"Pretty much. Just take my hand." Ivan complied, and the crystal lay tucked between their bleeding palms. Electric sensations tingled at her skin, an otherworldly pressure placing itself over her shoulders. Motes of dust danced in her vision, pulsing to the beat of the planet. "Listen well. You shall be my vassal until I verbally release your from your duties. You may act on your own accord, as long as there is no conflict of interest. You may not speak or write in any way of this to anyone, and you must order your group to do the same. Failure to do so will result in pain of suffering from lethal miasma poisoning which will slowly liquefy your insides."

To his credit, the only sign of Ivan's unease was his paleness. "I answer to the oath. I shall fulfill my duties as your vassal until my dying breath."

The crystal vibrated, smoke rising and curling around their arms. Its wisps faded into white, sinking into their skin and leaving nothing but its scent. They parted, and the crystal dissolved into fragments. White noise unbearably burrowed itself in her eardrums and her nails dug into her palm.

Just when she thought it was going for eternity, the feeling covering the area dispersed. She remembered to breath.

"... That never fails to spook me." Even now, she sometimes couldn't believe she could feel magic swirling in the air. Unlike the dreamscape which made her insignificant in the sea of souls, magic forgotten by the rest never failed to make her feel small.

Ivan coughed out a laugh. "It's a spectacle indeed. Uh... I suppose that makes you milady then?"

"You can call me by my first name, I don't mind. 'Attendant' is too formal for me, and 'Milady' sounds old-fashioned and on-the-nose. And trust me, I gave up asking my Food Souls."

"Mika then." His bandaged arm hung uselessly at his side once more. "Well, I guess I'm stuck with you for a while?"

"Let's not get too hasty," she giggled. Step five. "In all seriousness, I have a job for you and your group."

Ivan shook his head. "... You didn't have to go the long-winded route."

"This wasn't my first idea in regards to what I should have decided on, but no matter. You'll need to make your money and reputation back anyways, and this benefits the both of us." Mika backed to a nearby pillar. It was getting harder to think. "In one week, Irisha Mereta will be traveling back to Nevras."

"And that helps us how?" Ivan held back his tongue at the last minute, and it showed.

"I'll be paying you to show your frustrations on the failed job, just... embellished." A deliberate pause. "Something along the lines of... let's see... Abandoned by the merchants despite risking your very lives, you were left stranded, running with fevers from the miasma poisoning you contracted during the trip. After two days of surviving the forest, starving and delusional, you're found by a passing Attendant and brought to the ranch to recuperate."

"They'll dismiss you at first, maybe even laugh, how you're all likely bitter and licking at your broken prides. After two or three days, they'll hear news of a broken vessel at Hilena Port needing heavy repairs. Merchants under some big shots rushing to make profit, moaning about the loss or damaged wares and bemoaning poor quality bodyguards. Nothing unusual, but then they hear rumors. A vessel without anti-Fallen weaponry, and a job that didn't supply its men with food to function properly thanks to petty grudges."

"What a disaster that could have been, truly. Clients who consider the people they're paying less than a couple crates of seafood, and nearly killed them in the process." Mika cupped her chin with her hand. "Oh, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Rumors need a lot of fuel, and all we have is the beginnings of a modest campfire!"

The clapping had everyone jerk, as if resurfacing from a trance. Ivan watched her like a vicious animal out to play with its prey. "What else do you need to fan the flames?"

Her mouth stretched wide, teeth bare for them to see. She was liking this man even better. "I'd like you to have a separate group track down our friend Louie. Monitor and gather as much information on him as you can: what he eats, how he sleeps, how he walks, even how he shits. I want everything, and I'll be working on a few things on my end."

Such as hunting down the paper trails in the Nevras Trading Center, the Intercontinental Guild Archives, and at the Marine Association's office. Records or lack thereof were a start.

Huzzah, more paperwork.

 _Gods, I really need a break, don't I?_

.

Vince literally shoved the pen in their faces before she could hammer out a few other details to the plan, announcing that vassalage had been promised as compensation, and the rest had to be tidied up with more flowery words and thick pages of paper topped with pretty gold coins. In a casual display of strength, Mika was strong-armed out of the warehouse, Brownie and Black Tea quietly retrieving her from becoming a squeaky toy for the man's biceps.

Mika didn't know how she ended up buried under five pillows in bed, but she honestly gave up caring.

Her Food Souls were out in the ice arena, aside from Milk who dutifully checked on her physical state. Her gray eyes shined eerily in the wake of her glowing hands.

"What's the verdict, doc?"

Milk didn't answer, fingers carefully drifting towards her breastplate. She laid one palm on it, and Mika choked on her scream when the cold, wet sensation of Milk's healing touched her skin. Gripping the sheets as stars burst behind her eyelids and fire melting her insides, she almost didn't hear Milk coaching her to breathe.

"I'm sorry, Master Attendant. I need to remove your breastplate in order to correct your ribs. You've broken two of them."

"Is... there no other... way?" In, out. In, out.

"Your breastplate has helped keep the pain minimal, but to heal it, I have to have a clear view of what I'm working with. I'm afraid it's our only option." In, out. She caught Milk shifting closer, brows furrowed. "Would you prefer I render you unconscious?"

The only sounds were her ragged breathing, and the quiet hum of magic bubbling around her Food Soul's fingertips. "Don't tell them. We can't delay the journey back more than a day."

Discontent flashed in those gray eyes, sharp like the glass shards straining her lungs. Then, Milk's expression smoothed, her curtain of white hair unable to hide a glimpse of the downward tilt of her lips. "I would suggest at least two days of rest, Master Attendant."

Her defiance cut straight to the core, and where her sensibilities argued about her obligations.

Two days. She'd probably borrow the radio line from Vince for a couple of hours to get some orders rolling, and she'll need to get in contact with Mithra for some back-up magic crystals. Maybe also ask Irena to keep an eye out for her back at the restaurant, on Ichi especially. Olivia did say she'd be back in two to three days as well, and the mentoring she promised the newest batch of kids wasn't due until four days from now.

Mika let out a defeated chuckle. "... Whatever the doctor orders."

Belatedly, she realized Milk didn't say she'd keep it secret.

.

The echoes of smoke and explosions greeted her as she woke to moonlight.

Different weights crowded the bed, and she listened to their peaceful snoring. She craned her head slightly, staring intently at the familiar silhouettes.

 _Safe. They're safe._

Her dreams became quieter.

.

* * *

 **AN:** It's been a while. Truth be told, while I'm still playing Food Fantasy regularly, I haven't been as up to date with everything in the fandom and had gotten busy IRL. Since the quarantine began, I decided I may as well try and finish this chapter at least. 2020's been a rocky one, so I hope that this entertains even a few people in these times.

On a more positive note, thank you for the support and feedback, lovelies!

 **Q:** Who was your first UR? Funnily enough, mine's Boston Lobster!


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